Teachers and group leaders often overlook some of the many possible ways there are to get to know the members of their classes and groups better. Below are some ideas to stimulate your thinking:
- Home visitation
- Take time to talk to students when you meet them incidentally outside of class
- Have a class party
- Keep a Polaroid photo album
- Give special attention to certain individuals during class time
- Listen to what they have to say in class, carefully, intently, and openly
- Observe your students while someone else teaches
- Keep a card on file for each student – make notes after class
- Work with small groups on projects
- Be in your classroom early and stay late, to talk to students
- Arrange to have students in your home
- Have outside class events:
- parties
- projects
- trips
- outings
- Attend school, community or other functions in which your students may be participating
- Observe non-verbal behavior
Another way to get to know the persons you work with is to gain some further knowledge about their age group characteristics and general behavior patterns at this particular stage of life. The following are suggested ways you might do this:
- Attend a leadership school class for your age group
- Talk to other church school teachers of the same age group
- Take a college level course on human development
- Observe other church or public school classes of the same age students
- Read books on the subject
- Get advice from public school teachers of the same age group
- Read material in lesson books for teachers
- Schedule a workshop in your church
Looking at these two lists, what three or four items seem to you to be the most helpful? Place a checkmark beside these. Can you now decide on one of these that you actually will do? Circle that one and begin to work on it as soon as possible.
Finally, are there any successful ideas you have used or seen used that are not on the above list? Write them down, share them with others, and try them again yourself.
