Building Relationships

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Beth Still on August 30, 2008 at 4:24pm

Building relationships with students in aon online environment can be challenging. What I have noticed is that my online students seem to open up right away and talk about all kinds of things that they may not do in a traditional classroom.

I use Skype, email, and social networking to get to know my students. I try to connect with them by being positive and encouraging. It is amazing how open students will be in online forums. Sometimes they say things that are so personal that I am caught off guard and I tell them that they can contact me in a more private forum if they wish. My students are at-risk and are desperate to connect with a teacher who cares. Sometimes it is uncomfortable when students confide in me when I do not know them well, but I have to remind myself that I might be the only adult that they feel they can talk to.

Permalink Reply by Ann E Darling on September 5, 2008 at 8:52pm

I sometimes have to remind myself that students tend to assume that they have an one one one relationship with teachers when in reality they can be part of a group totalling anywehre from 10 to 100! So yes I get some startling feedback in print that I would never get face2face! I am encouraged that an electronic format seems to open up lines of communication that are non existent in a traditional educational setting.
One thing that I have enjoyed with my students is their posting to photoblogs. My students have to post 5-6 photos each week and write a short post about technical, emotional or aesthetic matters concerning the images. I would have to say that images are great conversation starters as well as having a voice all their own. I respond to each post (I only have 13 students) and am never at a loss for something to say or ask. I am so excited about the images my students are taking!

Permalink Reply by Mobbsey on September 11, 2008 at 1:57am

I ADORE the the idea of the photo sharing! I may have to try that one. Thanks!

Permalink Reply by Govinda Prasad Panthy on September 27, 2008 at 8:57am

Hi I wish i could build up strong relationship with all teachers at Ning. but i dn't have net and pc at my home and school, how can i get benefit at such situation? do you have any idea? i'd be oblised if u sugggest me the suitable one. see you soon. a school teacher from Nepal.

Permalink Reply by Beth Still on September 27, 2008 at 12:21pm

How often do you have access to the Internet? Where do you connect? Do your students have access to the Internet once in a while? I'd like to know more about what you teach. Subject? Age? It is fascinating to find out more about schools overseas.

Permalink Reply by Govinda Prasad Panthy on October 9, 2008 at 9:13pm

hi ma'm beth, we dn't have computer/net access at our school. it'd be so nice if we had. Our school is struggling to collect school supplies like pens, books and papers and so on. Technology is beyond us. I sometimes hire net in a town when i'm free. I'm 36 years old. I've been running this primary school in a rural area for a decade. We have students ageing 4 to 12 years. We dn't have grade teaching system here. Different teachers teach different subjects. There are subject teachers. But we still lack some teachers. As school is poor i've to struggle much. I'm seeking anysort of help from the ppl like u. I think you, ur collegues, and students can work out for the literacy of the rural area children. We really need help to continue their at least primary education.

Permalink Reply by Terry Smith on November 6, 2008 at 11:10pm

Hey Cory - also, think that establishing clear expectations is critical, which is, in part a step toward building a relationship with students. My students are master's students taking an online course for the first time. I find that I need to compare my position with what their position will be as they enter classrooms to get their full attention regarding meaningful contributions. It seems that a maybe relaxed attitude, because we are online, leads students to believe that things will be easier, perhaps not as intellectually rigorous - when exactly the opposite is true. The online environment provides a venue for interaction that doesn't happen in the face to face classroom, the connections, links, continuances, and of course, the fact that conversations are preserved either in transcripts or in Forum postings. So I guess I didn't talk about a tool, but your question stimulated me to respond. But in general, when the students realize that they are a part of something significant, something involving community contributions, I believe that the relationships are enhanced all around.

Permalink Reply by Cory Plough on November 7, 2008 at 8:51am

Well said Terry. Tools may have been the wrong word because it might exclude other aspects to building relationships. I think you are spot on with the idea of online learning often being more rigorous and setting clear expectations so that students are more aware is helpful.

Administration has a belief at my primary school that we should have an introduction unit which gets students and teachers acquainted, and also helps students get familiar with the course set up. It is also emphasized that students gets some "points on the board" so to speak by creating assignments that allow them to start off with a strong footing in the course. Then, when the work gets harder, kids stop doing it.

Setting CLEARER expectations would help here. Thanks for the comment :)