The power of building powerful relationships with students听听
When I started my second year of service with 黄色视频 Milwaukee, I knew that building relationships with students was going to be different. As a Second Year AmeriCorps member,听滨听had听the privilege to work with two 7th grade classrooms, two 8th听 grade classrooms and a couple of 6th graders. In听total, I worked with over 90听students听a day.听This was a big change from my first year of service,听when I worked with one 3rd听grade classroom, and听meant that听building relationships with students was听going to be听more challenging this year.听Even though it was difficult, I made sure to build powerful relationships with the students I worked with. 听
Listening to my students helped me build strong relationships.
My first classroom of the day听this year听was听my 7th听grade homeroom. This classroom has a very special place in my heart. Since day one,听I have witnessed听the academic and social听emotional learning听of听each听student.听Two of my students,听Sebastion*听and Giovanni*,听were always known as the boys who did not like doing their work and just slept all morning. When I noticed their habits, I started to brainstorm ideas on how I could keep them engaged听in class.听Once I听started to听gain their respect and trust, I started sitting next to them听during class. I noticed that the more I sat next to these two, not only would听they听do their work, but they started asking me questions about the stories we would read.听The reason why I got听through听to them quickly,听is because I listened, I asked and I understood. Ever since听then,听we grew a bond that听couldn鈥檛 be broken.听
Once I built relationships with my students, and learned more about their interests, I was able to help them learn.
Now for my girls, the听Powerpuff听Girls,听Nia*,听Sussy*, and Cassie*. These three girls are the听sweetest,听but sassiest,听girls I have ever encountered. Building relationships听with them was really tough at first. They did not like me because they thought I was mean and strict, which in reality,听I just needed to break into听their circle, and get to know them better. I discovered these girls loved听Ramen听Noodles听so much, so听I decided to bring them down for lunch one day and got to know them on a personal level. They started to trust me more and听began听feeling more comfortable with me. They started telling me about their academic struggles and why math was really hard for them.听听
After听getting to know them better,听I took it upon myself to听tutor听them individually every day. Working every day with them improved their test scores by 30%. They went from听having听55% on their assessments to听getting听85%.
I honestly cried because every day was a battle with them. To giving up, walking away from me, telling me to leave and never speak to them, to 鈥渢hank you so much for your patience.鈥 Not only did I听teach听them math听skills,听but听I taught them听to always trust the process.听
听The relationships I built with my students, helped me learn the individualized support they needed, in order to succeed in the classroom.听
Now,听my biggest struggle of the year听was working with听my 8th-grade girls. I cannot tell you how many times I felt unwanted, unappreciated and mostly frustrated every day. Every day was听challenging, but I soon learned that听they only acted out听in class听because they couldn鈥檛 understand听math听concepts听and thought math was pointless.听I worked with my partner teacher, and听I kept on assigning听them听different seats and moving them around听the classroom, but the problem was not going away听when their seats were moved.听听
One听day, I sat down with them and听asked them what I needed听to do so they could understand the concepts听and feel听heard in the classroom. One of them responded, 鈥淚 don鈥檛 like sitting alone because it gives me anxiety.鈥 Another one responded,听鈥Can you sit with us and explain the concept step by step?鈥.听
Another听thing I noticed听was听they were very infatuated with my colorful markers and pens. So,听one afternoon, I asked for all four of them to go to the back of the classroom and sit with me. I asked them to each grab a colorful marker and pen. We started going over the concept of y=mx+b. We were graphing and trying to find the equation for the problem. I broke it down in听eight听steps. In each step, I always asked the why behind everything, and if they did not understand why,听we would start听the problem听all over. We did this for the entire week until one Monday morning, my girls started to explain the concept to the entire class.
Again, I bawled听my eyes out, not only because they understood and were explaining the concept, but they went up there with so much confidence. I knew they had it in them听all along.听I just needed to bring out the pens.听听
Building powerful relationships听with my students听was very important to me because, without trust, you cannot move forward. This was my investment every day. Since I had over 90 students, it was my goal to connect with听at least听one student from each classroom, every day.听I wanted to learn everything about them,听good and bad. I taught my students the value of truth and honesty. The reason why this was so important for me听is听because as a human,听it is always important to reflect on your growth听especially听on your down days, and to always be true and honest with yourself.听It鈥檚 also important to always admit when you are wrong and to always acknowledge your choices. I couldn鈥檛 be any more proud of the growth my students have done this academic school year. I miss them so much but I know they are going to do wonderful things in high school and in 8th grade.听听听
*Names听changed听to protect privacy of students听听
Want to read more about the powerful impact of relationship building? Check-out 黄色视频 Milwaukee AmeriCorps member, Julia’s, story of believing in the power of young people.听
About the author:听听Fernie听Torres proudly serves as a Second Year AmeriCorps member on the Julia A. Uihlein team at Alexander Mitchell听Integrated听Arts听school听and is a proud alum听of听Bay View High School. When asked why she serves,听Fernie听said, 鈥People tend to look down at the students with low grades听and challenging backgrounds,听but what they don鈥檛 see is the knowledge behind their eyes. I am here to give a voice to our students. I believe everyone deserves an education and the benefit of the doubt, and that their history does not define who they are now.听That is why I serve.鈥
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