Making Connections

He aha te mea nui o te ao
What is the most important thing in the world?
He tangata, he tangata, he tangata
It is the people, it is the people, it is the people
Maori proverb

Whether it is the start of the year, mid-way into the course or toward the end of the final revision cycle, teachers can capitalize on opportunities to connect with students in meaningful ways. At times, a connection may come naturally through a mutual interest in course content or subject matter. Alternatively, common ground may be found in relation to extra-curricular interests (sports, music, performance), shared language and culture or lived-history. Regardless, the meaningfulness of these connections to learners cannot be understated.  

"Student's don't care how much you know until they know how much you care" - John C. Maxwell

The video below shows one teacher's method of valuing the individual identities of his students by connecting personally with each one through a unique hand shake.