Get Your Students Hired
When my students call the first thing I always ask is "How can I help you?". It might seem like a silly thing but you would be suprised if you just listen around for some of the things you hear other people say when they answer the phone. They do not sound welcoming or treat students like a customer at all. Our students are our customers and we are here to serve them. Without our students we would not receive paychecks. We should not treat them as an annoyance when the phone rings. The first impression they deserve when they call is that they are important.
We are an on-line college so making a first impression is tricky. No matter how we deliver our content, the student may receive us from varying perspectives. Therefore, we must be very specific in the tone we try to set and in the language we use. We are now using live orientation which helps a lot because students can hear our voice and they can ask questions and get an immediate response.
SMILE, SMILE, SMILE...it only takes a second to make a difference. This welcoming gesture is most effective especially to the new students. They will always remember the person that smiled at them first. Then of course, asking how they are and if there is something you can assist them with.
Thanks, Lawrence. Based on this fact, what can a teacher do to make sure the impression students develop about them during those 20 seconds is a positive one?
Most people make a decision about you in the first 20 seconds without even talking to you
Hello! I think it's so funny that someone brought this up. This is one of my pet peeves. I often will say, "Hello, how are you?" and then the person doesn't answer. When I ask this, I'm actually wanting to know how you are!!!! I've also found that people will ask me, "how are you?", but then not wait for an answer. I think for some people, "how are you?" is just a greeting that does not need a response...sort of like just saying Hi.
When prospective students stop by my office on the school tour, I always get up, say hello, shake hands, ask questions, etc. It makes the student feel as if I care that they are looking in to coming to my school (and I do care!). If I were to just keeping working on my computer, and ignore the student in the doorway, they would not get a good impression of me. I sometimes find that since I have given a good impression (and others may not have), the students will often come to me and ask questions, as they feel comfortable with me. It's nice to know that I have made a good impression with them.
I smile greet with a hello and either use their first name or Mr or Ms followed by last name.
If class has not officially started I ask, "How are you doing or how are your studies progressing?"
I smile and welcome them to class at least for the first part of the term. I usually know my student by their first name at the second class meeting and use it often when I pose questions in the class period.
Rita,
This is a great example of building relationships with students through simply being there for them. Please keep up these practices as they are definitely the right things to do.
I arrive at class at least 10-15 minutes early and make myself available to students. I also greet each one as they enter the room. Since I know all their names, using first names and occasionally asking something caring about them and/or their life, it really connects with my students. I also stay after class and provide guidance to my students as needed.
Thanks, Jeff. Little things like using students' names are vitally important when building a sense of community in a classroom.
Smile, greet them warmly, look them directly in the eyes, use their name be personable.
I will shake hand with individuals, call them by their name with the smiling face (I normally memorize students' names in advance whenever I have new ones).
Great approach! We have to realize that every class meeting is a chance to make a new first impression. Sometimes a few minutes off topic at the beginning of the class can set students in a great frame of mind during the class.
I always greet my students st the door. I usually give the first few minutes of class to see how everybodies doing. Usually someone has an interesting story to tell from the weekend or the night before. Sometimes I'll star off with a funny story just to break the ice and put the room in a relazed mood.
It is important to remember that we have a chance to make a new "first impression" each day we meet with students. The activities a teacher sbefore class and just as class begins can go a long way in shaping attitudes for the day.
What are some of the things you like to do to grab students' attention just as class begins?
On the first day I stand at hte door and greet each student and I make sure they balong to my class I ask how are you today and are you ready to learn