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Seek to know them—understand their circumstances, needs, and strengths.

“Seek to know them—understand their circumstances, needs, and strengths,” Teacher Development Skills (2022)

“Seek to know them—understand their circumstances, needs, and strengths,” Teacher Development Skills

Love Those You Teach

Seek to know them—understand their circumstances, needs, and strengths.

Skill: Observe and ask about students’ interests.

Define

Teachers can learn about their students’ circumstances and identify some of their learning needs through observing and asking about their interests. It is often easiest to have these conversations before and after class, but they can also take place during class. There are a variety of ways teachers can do this. A teacher may notice a book, a project, a sticker, a piece of sporting equipment, or something else that a student brings to class. Or a teacher might remember an event the students were participating in and ask them about it. The questions we ask will help us come to know the students and their interests and include phrases like:

  • “Tell me more about …”

  • “What do you like about …”

  • “I am curious to know …”

When teachers are sincere and genuine in their questions, they can learn more about their students’ circumstances and learning needs, and the students will feel that their teacher really cares. When students feel their teacher genuinely cares about them, they are more likely to come to class ready to learn and share their insights and experiences with their teacher and others in class.

Model

  1. Hermana Muñoz remembers that Rosa had a big soccer game that Rosa was nervous about. When she sees Rosa, Hermana Muñoz stops and asks her how she felt the game went.

  2. Auro has his keys on the table. As you walk past, you notice a flag from a different country on his key chain. You’re curious and say, “Auro, tell me about the flag you have on your key chain.” Auro shares that his sister went to Brazil on her mission, and he went with his family to pick her up at the end of her mission. You continue the conversation, asking, “What did you like about going to see your sister on her mission?

Click here to see a video of this model.

Practice

Practice #1: In each of the following pictures, what do you see that can help you learn about the circumstances or learning needs of these students?

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young women playing basketball
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young women playing ukelele
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youth sitting in a semicircle

Practice #2: What questions can you ask to learn more about your students’ interests?

Discuss or Ponder

  • What have you learned as you have practiced observing and asking about students’ interests?

  • How can observing and asking about students’ interests show that you love your students?

Incorporate

In class this week, look for opportunities to ask students about their interests, events, or circumstances. Genuinely show you care about what you learn from them. Look for how it impacts that student’s learning experience as a result. Take five minutes after class to write down what you learned about your students and how that can help you create learning experiences that lead to conversion, relevance, and belonging.

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