What are the hobbies and interests that I bring into the classroom? This is Day 21 of TeachThought’s 30-Day Blogging Challenge.
I think it is important for students to know their teachers not just as a teacher, but as a person who has a life outside of school. It helps to build strong relationships if teachers reveal something of themselves to their students.
I like to share my travel experiences with my students. Having lived and taught in England, Bolivia and Brazil, I can share artifacts, stories, language and other experiences that help my students get to know me and other cultures. My more recent trips on a fellowship in Kyrgyzstan and a Fulbright-Hays trip to Morocco are also experiences my students know about.
I also share stories about raising my sons. Students are always interested in knowing what they were like when they were younger.
Of course, I love to read, and I talk about books I am reading with my students.
I tell students what I am learning. I share Tweets that have led me to new learning, articles I have found online, new technology tools I am discovering and more. Sharing my interests is a way of connecting with students.
