The second line in my teaching manifesto says “Connect before I correct.” I learned this phrase from a colleague who learned it in a parenting class. As a teacher and a mom I tend to notice things. I notice when the door is left unlocked as we are leaving for school. I notice when we need more milk. I notice a new toy in the preschool classroom as I drop off my daughter.

I notice which students are hanging out together before school. I notice which students are breaking dress code. I notice which students are shopping online during class. I notice the student who seems to be off today.

The idea of connecting before I correct is to show that I notice the positive things before I show I noticed something to correct. For example, I could ask a student about how the volleyball match went last night, then later in class ask her about her missing assignment. I could take the time to find out what interests a student most before having a conversation with her about being off task on her device. It could even be a simple “hi, how’s it going?” to a student before asking him to report to the dean for being out of dress code.

Sometimes when we are in teacher-mode we are so quick to point out what needs to change or be done differently. We are quick to correct, hopefully out of a desire to help our students. But we can slow down. We can take the minute, or day, or week to connect first.

As we continue in September and this start of the new school year, I am reminded each day the power of connecting with my students. Having a one-on-one conversation can be hard in a high school when I have so many students in one day. Even still, it is absolutely worth it. With each day of the school year I am able to connect more and more helping my students to feel welcomed and valued.

This is not to let students off the hook. Rather, it is to remember they are people. There is more to them than just want needs to be corrected. When could you take more time to connect before you correct?