12
MAINTAINING RELATIONSHIPS
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Without active maintenance, relationships deteriorate over time, the study authors point out. Teachers may focus too much on academics and not enough on supporting students’ emotional well-being, slowly using up the banked time they initially built up with students.
Teachers can maintain relationships by continuing to implement the strategies above, and in addition they can:
* Take note of positive and negative interactions with students. Teachers should aim for a five-to-one ratio.
* Regularly check in with students. Ask how they’re doing and what support they may need. In an Edutopia article, Todd Finley explains how 5x5 assessment time helped him focus on a handful of students every day.
* Acknowledge good behavior. When teachers focus attention on positive conduct, disruptive behavior is stemmed before it becomes an issue.