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Ready, Set, Connect! 5 Activities to Build Strong Connections With Students

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Colorado Convention Center, Mile High Ballroom 3A

Explore and create: Exploratory Creation lab
Preregistration Required
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Presenters

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Kindergarten, Teacher Education
Oak Lake Community School
@india0309
@kgeducation.ca
With over twenty years of teaching experience, Dr. Devon Caldwell is an award-winning Kindergarten teacher with a passion for project-based learning, technology integration, wellness, and travel. In addition to teaching Kindergarten, Devon is a sessional instructor in teacher education programs and a certified yoga instructor who teaches weekly classes. Devon completed a B.Ed. in Early Years Education and an M.Ed. in Inclusive Education. She was recently granted a PhD in Curriculum & Instruction from the University of Victoria where she investigated how and why K-2 teachers integrated technology.
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LwICT Teacher Leader
Park West School Division
@leaho77
@kgeducation.ca
Leah Obach is a Canadian educator from rural Manitoba. She is the co-founder of KG Education and a part-time technology coach for her school division. Leah supports fellow educators by sharing online, delivering presentations, hosting professional learning events and providing coaching. Leah is an ISTE Community Leader. Find her on Twitter @Leah077 and Instagram @kgeducation.ca

Session description

Join this session for five easy and engaging activities that help build strong connections with students of any age. These are great ways to build relationships with your students while also having some fun. Use them at any point throughout the year to foster connections with your students.

Purpose & objective

Participants will be inspired to strengthen their connections with students through engaging,tech-infused learning activities.
Participants will be able to implement any or all of the 5 learning activities designed to build connections with students.
Participants will engage in interactive activities through discussion/chat and shared files.

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Outline

Welcome & Introduction

5 Activities to Build Strong Connections
#1 Playlist
#2 3 About Me
#3 A Great Read Aloud
#4 Would You Rather
#5 One Word

Questions & Conclusion

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Supporting research

There is research to support the benefit of strong relationships between students and their teacher. One helpful article comes from Furrer, Skinner & Pitzer (2014). Furrer et al. (2014) stated that “The basis for student–teacher relationships, like all close relationships, is interpersonal liking and trust” (p.105). We’ve been teaching for a combined 30+ years and have seen the value of developing positive, trusting relationships with our students. Furrer et al. (2014) explained, “When teachers are dependable sources of emotional and instrumental support in difficult times, students feel connected to their teachers and safe at school” (p.105). In addition, investing time in building strong connections with students may help them develop their own motivational resources which students can use when they encounter difficulties (Furrer et al., 2014). The pandemic has presented a host of additional difficulties in addition to the challenges already common to students pre-pandemic. Now, more than ever, we need to build strong relationships with students in order to support them in their learning and personal development.

Furrer, C. J., Skinner, E. A., & Pitzer, J. R. (2014). The influence of teacher and peer relationships on students’ classroom engagement and everyday motivational resilience. National Society for the Study of Education, 113(1), 101-123.

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Session specifications

Topic:
Creativity & curation tools
Grade level:
PK-12
Skill level:
Beginner
Audience:
Coaches, Teachers
Attendee devices:
Devices required
Attendee device specification:
Laptop: Chromebook, Mac, PC
Tablet: Android, iOS, Windows
Participant accounts, software and other materials:
Attendees will use Padlet & a Microsoft Word shared file. Each participant will need a device in order to fully participate.
ISTE Standards:
For Educators:
Designer
  • Design authentic learning activities that align with content area standards and use digital tools and resources to maximize active, deep learning.
For Students:
Creative Communicator
  • Students create original works or responsibly repurpose or remix digital resources into new creations.