Empowering Students in 2021
With 2020 being such a disruptive educational year, we must focus on empowering students throughout 2021. As teachers, we can use aspects of student lifestyle to enhance student well-being. In this guide, we’ll explore the areas of student lifestyle that can be easily integrated with student well-being. This way you’ll learn everything you need to know about empowering students in 2021.
Use Social Media for Positive Means
These days social media is deeply woven into the student lifestyle. This is why we can use it in a positive way when it comes to empowering students. Through social media, students can create learning networks and collaborate with students from all around the world. They also have the opportunity for distant learning and access to global support and research networks. Some students enjoy using social media as a creative outlet in the form of videos, photography and writing. When it comes to using social media in the classroom, you could set up a class page or blog. Here, you can keep in touch with students and encourage them to contribute. Include time in your teaching program for promoting the positive uses of social media and online etiquette.
Help Students Find Their Passion in Life
Helping students find their passion in life is easier said than done. Some students may be passionate about everything while others may find it hard to find a spark at all. A student that has a passion is more driven, more focused and more eager to learn. Having a passion gives students dreams and goals to aim for, it can help with career choices too. Discovering passion in life can massively improve student well-being and as a teacher, you can lead by example.
Be passionate about the things you’re teaching in the classroom. Get to know your students and find out what do they enjoy doing. Encourage them to find hobbies, and to express their creative urges. When it comes to empowering students, inspiring passion in student lifestyle will surge learners forward in 2021.
Welcome Feedback from Students About your Teaching
Welcoming feedback will improve your teaching skills and create a deeper relationship with your students. You’ll create an environment where students feel more engaged and secure enough to speak their minds. When it comes to empowering students, encouraging feedback will improve their communication skills and give them a voice. Let students know that feedback is always welcome and try to act on the feedback in all cases. This reinforces that you take the feedback seriously. Don’t wait until the end of the year to get feedback, by then it may be too late. Instead have regular class conferences or surveys throughout the year.
Brainstorm Ideas with your Students
Brainstorming is a fantastic exercise that you can use for generating ideas and solving problems as a group. Not only does it build teacher/student relationships it encourages student interaction and strengthens the student voice. Brainstorming encourages independent thinking and taps into the individual. This means you can understand how individual students like to learn. It also teaches students to respect each other’s opinions which is a great thing to be incorporated into student lifestyle. There are no right or wrong answers when it comes to brainstorming. This means that it can be confidence building, with students unafraid to make suggestions. Use a brainstorming session to plan a trip, activity, or class project.
Practice Visualization Techniques with Students
Learning how to visualize is a vital part of a child’s growth and development. Visualization not only helps with learning but it can also improve student well-being. Visualization encourages students to be creative which stimulates may different parts of the brain. Visualization also reinforces information, things are more easily understood when you have a clear picture of them. Visualization doesn’t have to just include imagery, many senses can be included like taste, sound and smell. Practice visualization exercises as much as you can in the classroom. Encourage your students to close their eyes and let their minds go wild.
Have Respect for Student’s Opinions
It’s one thing listening to a student’s opinion and then another thing to respect it. Mutual respect between teacher and students plays a vital part in maintaining a harmonious classroom. When you respect a student’s opinion, you’re leading by example and teaching them how to respect the opinions of others.
By listening to and respecting student’s opinions, it encourages them to have a voice. When it comes to empowering students, then having a strong voice is vital for personal development. By respecting student’s opinions, you’ll create a more harmonious and nurturing classroom. To respect a student’s opinion, first, you need to know what their opinions are. Take the time for one-on-one engagement, addressing your students as you would your peers.
With these tools, we can do our best as teachers to improve student lifestyle and student well-being. Let’s make 2021 the best year yet when it comes to empowering students!