February Superstar – Relationships

Teachers can improve outcomes and build equity in the classroom by listening closely to their learners. Relationships are the key to our success. Fourth Grade Bilingual Teacher, Christina Vazquez, at Edwin J. Kiest Elementary values getting to know her students as a top priority. When you build connections with your students they don’t want to let you down.

Her class roster was recently reorganized and new students were added to her classroom. The first thing Ms. Vazquez did was meet with them daily in a community meeting to get to know their unique personalities. This is super impactful because it shows students that teachers care about their academic success as well as their personal success. You will quickly see the trust that exists between the her and the students, as well as between the students.

“I always want to build relationships with my students because I need that connection with them and I feel like it helps them to have a better learning environment. The first thing I want to do is build a community so the students can feel comfortable in my classroom.” – Vazquez