B is for Bonding

Research from previous school or course launches shows one irrefutable fact: if the student doesn't connect within the first weeks (or even days) of school, he often fails to connect at all. It is critical the teacher gives each student immediate and multiple opportunities to bond - with the teacher, other students, the course or program content, and the school culture. It is easier to think students will find their way driven by personal commitment, but it is not an accurate conclusion. Students will disconnect before they ever start to learn.

The teacher must use all the tools available if you are to make an impact. Keep a database of your students separate from the one offered within the course structure. Dub it your personal Student Directory and make a commitment to have notes beside each student's name before the end of week two. By the end of the first month, multiple entries should be your goal. No student should be "online anonymous" to the teacher. And the converse is true: no teacher should be anonymous to the students. As I work with instructional design and assist in building curriculum, the first and most impactful creation is the instructor introduction. Be it snazzy with creative tools or a simple and relaxed video recording of who you are or what your students can expect, it should be the first thing students see. If you are primarily serving students on-the-ground, it is still important to make a digital impact - it is their world. When you are real to your students, the connection happens and remains. Consider an augmented reality presentation where you "come to life" when they focus on a trigger picture on the bulletin board.

You need to have regular conversations with students. No teacher can accomplish talking to every student daily, but if you set a schedule, as artificial as that may seem, the process pays dividends for everyone. It is time well-invested; posting grades isn't enough.

Share ideas regularly with colleagues about how you can make this happen. It doesn't look the same for every instructor. I repeat: every student is every teacher's responsibility. I recently had a conversation with a college course instructor and this approach wasn't something he had considered as necessary or important.

"These students are adults, they know what they need to do, and they either do it or they don't." I shook my head and suggested many outcomes would improve for both his students and his course evaluations if he didn't leave connections to chance.

You can't live in isolation as the teacher. You need to surround your students with ideas, innovations, solutions, laughter, and life. You need to surround them with "you." In turn, they won't take less responsibility, but more.

Consider starting a data bank of ways to make this bonding happen. Share with your colleagues and gather their ideas. Maybe even put it in the same Excel workbook or Microsoft One Note where you keep notes about the students themselves, but even better, post a working document on Google Drive so others can add to the database of connection tips and tricks. What seems intuitive to you might not occur to another teacher. I guarantee you will see a difference when you make this a focus.

Reflection: Consider those things which prevent students from bonding with teachers, their school, courses, even peers. Which ones can you positively affect and how?