First impressions matter—Connect with your students from day one
Thomas Courtley
Education Specialist
It’s your first day back teaching, and you want to make a lasting impression on your students. You know that engaged students are more proactive and learn better, and this year, you're determined to empower every student to participate right from the start.
Just like in life, students form judgments about their courses and teachers within the first few moments of a class. If you don’t manage to engage them on the first day, catching up later can be a challenge. From my experience, the key is to express empathy and establish a connection with your students immediately.
👇 Here are six simple, actionable strategies to help you create a connection from day one.
1. Get to know your students
- Mind map
LessonUp offers playful, interactive ways to encourage students to introduce themselves. For example, you could place 'I like' or 'I am' in the centre of a mind mapand ask students to reveal their hobbies, passions, favourite books, films, activities, or sports. Keep it light and playful on the first day—there will be plenty of time to dive into the subject matter once you've made a great first impression.
- Spinner
Use a spinner with personal (but not too sensitive) questions on each section. Spin it to ask your students to answer a surprise question. The randomness adds an exciting dynamic to the classroom. If a student doesn’t have an answer or wants to try a different question, just spin again! The goal is to help your students feel comfortable and at ease.
- Short video
Create a five-minute introduction video of yourself for your students. Keep it informal to stimulate connection and curiosity. If you wish, embed the video in a LessonUp lesson. You can also encourage your students to create their own introduction videos to share with you and the class. This approach not only encourages connection but also allows students to refine their presentation skills by recording multiple takes and choosing the best one.
2. Encourage participation in the class
- No downside for wrong answers
When asking questions during your lessons, emphasise that there is no downside to giving a wrong answer. As you know, we often learn more from getting an answer wrong than from getting it right immediately. If students struggle to respond, offer a hint or involve other students in the conversation to keep the discussion going.
- Alternate asking questions in person and digitally
When you ask questions aloud in class, it's often the same students who raise their hands. Quieter or shyer students, who may not enjoy being the centre of attention, often remain unheard. To avoid this common classroom dynamic, try to pose open questions in a digital lesson environment. Quieter students are more likely to participate and may surprise you with lengthy, insightful responses. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain access to their thoughts!
- Ban the podium when teaching in person
Some teachers spend entire classroom sessions behind a podium, which can create both a physical and psychological barrier, distancing them from their students. Instead, it's advisable to take time to move among learners, interact with them, and make them feel safe and valued.
3. Activate students’ prior knowledge
- Map what your students know
A mind map is an excellent interactive tool for mapping and retrieving students' prior knowledge. By asking for and providing feedback on what they already know, the new material you introduce will be better understood. Research shows that in the learner's working memory, prior knowledge is integrated alongside new information, reinforcing the learning.
- Introduce new topic by guiding a conversation
Begin by introducing a new topic in your class and involving your students directly. Are they acquainted with it? If so, in which way? Do they have examples of the presented topic that they would like to share? By guiding the conversation, you can create a safe environment for an open-minded discussion. This approach helps students feel more connected to the material and more receptive to learning what you have to teach.
- Create links to actuality if possible
Whenever possible, connect the topic, fact, or subject you’re discussing to today’s world—such as human behaviour, architecture, students’ personal experiences, or discussions on social media. The more you can create links between what you teach and your students’ worlds, the better. Information will stick more effectively.
4. Create lessons you look forward to
A well-structured lesson is crucial for capturing and holding your students' attention from the start. LessonUp can support you in achieving this. Here are some tips to help you create and structure an effective lesson:
- Craft a consistent lesson structure.
- Clearly indicate the learning objectives.
- Cleverly activate prior knowledge.
- Consistently add interactivity to promote engagement.
- Create defined lesson phases.
- Conclude your lesson with an 'exit-ticket' plenary.
5. Engage students in active and collaborative learning
Studies suggest that changing class activities every 7 to 10 minutes can help maintain student engagement. Avoid long periods of passive activities and instead incorporate interactive features that stimulate active learning.
- Implement short videos
YouTube offers a wide variety of short videos that can complement your lessons with engaging microlearning content. Students are accustomed to learning through short videos. You can provide them with additional opportunities to explore material at their own pace.
- Quiz questions & polls
Every so often, poll the class on a particular question or topic to gather their opinions. Students enjoy sharing their thoughts, and it can provide valuable insights. Alternatively, integrate quiz questions throughout the lesson as playful elements to assess understanding.
- Group work and sharing
Encourage teamwork by having students complete tasks in groups and then share their findings with the class. This can be done either online or in person. In a physical classroom, group students and have them present their conclusions on the interactive whiteboard. Allowing them to move around during the session can also help keep them engaged.
6. Show that you care for them
- Stay in the loop
Keep up with student-related news and events, and listen attentively when students share personal details. Building a personal connection encourages trust and deepens your relationship with them. If they have a LinkedIn profile, consider sending a connection request to older students. Congratulate them on achievements such as landing an internship or publishing content. Celebrating their successes will make them feel valued. - Inspire them to give their best
Showing that you care also involves sparking students' intellectual curiosity. Encourage them to ask thought-provoking questions and tackle challenging problems. By inspiring them to excel in the classroom, you contribute to their growth as lifelong learners. After all, fostering a love for learning is one of the most important goals of education!
