Back to School: Building Trust and Relationships from Day One
Inquiry Teacher is now FLETCHUCATION
The start of a new term is a pivotal moment for both students and teachers. Establishing trust and building relationships from the very first week sets the tone for the rest of the academic year. In my classroom, I place a strong emphasis on creating a welcoming environment, starting with what I like to call "Week 0."
What is Week 0?
Week 0 is all about laying the groundwork—defining the philosophy and values that I hope will guide the classroom culture throughout the year. It's less about diving into academic content and more about fostering a space where students feel safe, supported, and motivated to engage. This settling-in phase gives everyone the chance to establish connections and trust, setting up the year for success.
Starting with a Gallery Walk
I love to kick off the year by inviting students into a space where they can explore a "gallery" of photos—pictures of me, my family, and my interests. In pairs, students are tasked with piecing together a short biography of my life. This activity is always a hit. Students enjoy the process of uncovering details about their new teacher, but more importantly, it allows them to bond with each other in the process.
Here are some of the photos I used to get them thinking and provoked. Can you guess my back story?
The gallery walk is a simple but powerful exercise in humanizing the teacher-student relationship. It shows students that I, too, am a person with stories and experiences, and this helps break down any initial barriers. The activity invites curiosity and collaboration, setting a positive tone for the year.
Show and Tell
After students learn a bit about me, it’s time to turn the spotlight onto them. I ask students to bring in a photograph for a "show and tell" session, where they share something meaningful from their lives. This activity not only helps me learn about each student on a personal level, but it also strengthens the bond between classmates. Everyone becomes a little more connected, as we listen to the stories that shape who we are.
Writing Tasks and Goal Setting
By the end of the week, I introduce a few reflective writing tasks, allowing students to showcase their initial thoughts and creativity, whilst also reflecting on the gallery walk from the start of the week.
Here is how the learning experience is planned:
In this task, you will engage in a creative exploration of a photograph that resonates with you. Firstly, select an image shown by your teacher that made an impression on you. Once you've chosen your image, you'll engage in three distinct writing activities:
Photograph Description (100 words): Write a concise description of the photograph, focusing on what you see and the main elements that stand out.
Story Opening (150-250 words): Craft the beginning of a short story inspired by the photograph. Imagine a backstory or a continuation that could stem from this moment captured in the image.
Reflection (150 words): Reflect on why this particular photograph struck a chord with you. Discuss your personal connection to the image and how it relates to what we've been learning in class.
Learning goals addressed: This task aligns with our current unit’s focus on narrative skills, descriptive writing, and personal reflection. It encourages you to apply your understanding of narrative structures, use descriptive language effectively, and connect personally with visual media, reflecting on how these elements integrate with our studies.
Success Criteria:
Photograph Description: Successfully identifies key elements of the image and uses appropriate descriptive language.
Story Opening: Demonstrates creativity and coherence in setting up a narrative that could logically unfold from the photograph.
Reflection: Clearly articulates personal connection to the image and ties it back to learning objectives, showing depth of thought and understanding.
And finally, we work on goal-setting.
Students write down their goals on worksheets, and we pin these up in the classroom as a daily reminder of what they aim to achieve. It's a tangible way for students to take ownership of their learning journey from the outset.
You can download the PDF worksheet here.
What Do You Do in the First Week?
This approach works wonders in creating a warm, collaborative classroom environment. But I'm curious—what do you do in the first week of classes? How do you build trust and relationships with your students?
By laying a strong foundation during Week 0, we can shape a classroom culture where everyone feels valued and motivated to learn. Here's to starting the year on the right foot!