How will implementing relationship building strategies impact student engagement in my classroom?

Dawn Ressler


Seminar Title


How will implementing relationship building strategies impact student engagement in my classroom?


Concept/Strategy

Focus of the Research


Engagement, Reflection, Relationships, and Routine


Grade Level

Research Was Applied


2nd Grade


Relevant Grade Level

Connections


Elementary


Discipline

Where Research Was Applied


Other


Additional Discipline Areas

I see Application to


All Disciplines


Invitation/Commercial


The way teachers choose to begin and end their day, with their students, speaks volumes about what is valued in the classroom. I began using Morning Meeting designed by Roxanne Kriete, over eleven years ago with first graders. This gave me the opportunity to connect personally with each one of my students as we began our day together. This led me to some questions. If I am making personal connections with my students at the beginning of the day, is it possible to enact the same relationship building activities at the end of the day? I was curious what impact would an end of the day gathering have on student engagement and reflection of the day’s academia. I am eager to share with you my research of implementing relationship building strategies at the end of the day and how it impacted student engagement. Also, I discovered that there were long lasting life skills taught while “book ending” the day with a Goodbye Gathering. Even though my research was conducted in a second grade classroom, any grade level could benefit from this end of the period/day strategy. So, come along with me as I share with you my action research of the Goodbye Gathering. I hope to inspire you to create more student engagement in your own classroom.