First Day of Online Teaching: Part 1

Author: Arlene Vinion Dubiel

Building relationships

As an icebreaker on the first day of class, I asked my preservice teachers “who was your favorite high school teacher and what made that teacher your favorite?” I jotted down the responses as they talked and found two common themes. One of these themes centered on relationships. The preservice teachers used phrases like “welcoming classroom,” “human...talked about life”, and “made connections with students.” In other words, it was obvious that these favorite teachers cared about their students as individuals and took care to build relationships with them.  

As teachers, we know that our relationships with students can make or break the learning process. An article published in Review of Educational Research  and summarized in Education Week last March underscored that strong and reciprocal relationships between teachers and students led to higher academic engagement, higher grades, higher attendance, and more positive outcomes. Building relationships is relatively simple when you can see your students in person every day, but what if you only see them once a week or only through a computer screen? 

This blog on building relationships is the first in the series designed to help you prepare for the first day of teaching an online class. We’ll focus on getting to know your students and building relationships when you are not able to see them every day. 

Find Common Ground

The first thing that happens in my class, whether online, blended, or in person, is everyone introduces themselves. I start with my own short introduction providing my academic background, where I’ve lived, my career, and some of my personal interests. I then ask my students to give me the same information with their major, hometown, anticipated career, and some interests. It is this last item, personal interests, that can start to build relationships based on common ground. 

For example, in the blended class on assessment and technology I taught this past spring, my written online introduction mentioned my interests in reading, singing, and cooking. I then wrote “If you want to distract me, talk about good food or diseases - not necessarily as related topics.” Just sharing this little bit about myself allowed students to see that I was human, that I had a sense of humor, and that they were welcome to talk with me about both academic and non-academic issues. As a result of sharing these interests, a couple students brought food to class and there were several conversations about books. I also fielded quite a few questions about COVID-19. The class continued without any issues when we moved fully online because we had built a community based partly on these common grounds.   

For a fully online class, you would want to share your introduction online before the first class meeting. You can use your school’s learning management system (LMS) to share your introduction and then require students to write their own short introduction to share with the class. As an incentive, give the students points solely for participation. Most of my students read my introduction and then mimic the format, and some will mention having similar interests to mine. Having students share their personal interests helps to find common ground and gives insight into how they may be motivated and encouraged to learn.   

Pictures and Videos

In addition to writing a short introduction for students to read, I share a picture of myself. Usually it is a professional headshot, but with older students, I’ve used informal pictures from a recent trip or with my family. A picture helps to put a face to the name and can help give a ‘voice’ to the words you are reading. Informal pictures can also provide additional possibilities for connections. Students are also required to share a picture of themselves. Using student’s pictures is especially useful for blended classes to put names with faces when you see them in person. 

“Knowing that there is a real, live person on the other side of that computer screen can help build relationships.”

Instead of using a picture and written words for introductions, you may consider introducing yourself via video. Students can see that you are a real person with a face and a voice rather than static words and an image. Knowing that there is a real, live person on the other side of that computer screen can help build relationships. 

Many LMS have video capabilities, but they can be a challenge for students to use without training. My favorite non-LMS video discussion tool is Flipgrid. Flipgrid is from Microsoft, works on any smartphone, is easy to use, and (the best part) is free for educators and students. The default is a 90 second video clip which is usually the right amount of time for a robust introduction without being too long. Flipgrid videos can be easily edited by cutting out portions and re-recording. My best online class discussions have happened via Flipgrid rather than written discussion boards. It is worth considering this technology. 

Respond!

So, you introduced yourself to your students. You asked your students to share something about themselves. Now, you need to keep the conversation going by responding. Yes, it will take quite a bit of time, but responding to each student individually is the best thing you can do to build the relationship. Keep your comments short and try to find something you might have in common. Make your response specific enough to demonstrate you have read or listened to the student’s introduction. Responding allows each student to know that you have heard what they have to say. 

Responding to students individually works if you have smaller class sizes. But if you have classes over 50 students, consider splitting your students into smaller work groups and have them introduce themselves to each other, challenging them to come up with a group name or some other way to make a connection with each other. Then you can comment on the group discussion, saving you time while still allowing students to make connections with each other and with you.  

Introductions are the first step to building relationships. Sharing who you are, allowing your students to share about themselves, and then showing that you have listened to your students will go a long way to building strong reciprocal relationships that can promote positive academic success.  

Ready To Jumpstart Your Math Redesign Momentum?

Create effective, equitable & quantifiable change in your math program built on the good work you've already done