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Building relationships with my kindergarten students is grounded in trust and supported by values and strategies that help establish strong connections. These practices contribute to creating a positive, inclusive, and community-centered classroom environment where students feel safe, respected, and valued.

Acknowledging Students- Every morning, I welcome each student by name and intentionally recognize a positive detail, such as their effort, attitude, or progress, helping them feel noticed, appreciated, and included in the classroom community.

I communicate the expectations using a clear, simple language according their age and giving examples. I also check for understanding by asking students to repeat directions or show me with actions.

I use playful language, music, and movement during lessons to foster a joyful and welcoming classroom atmosphere. Appropriate, positive humor helps students feel comfortable, engaged, and eager to participate and learn.

I show kindness and respect when I give students my full attention by listening without interruption, acknowledging their feelings, and speaking to them with a consistently respectful tone. Through my actions, I model kindness and reinforce that every student’s voice is valued in our classroom community.

I model authenticity by sharing age-appropriate personal experiences and openly acknowledging my own mistakes. This helps students understand that learning is a continuous process and fosters trust through genuine interactions. This is realness, that even the adults are able to make mistakes, we all learn something every day.

I integrate books, examples, and learning activities that reflect students’ cultural backgrounds and real-life experiences. I also invite students to share their traditions and perspectives, promoting inclusivity and a strong sense of belonging.

I respond to behavioral and academic concerns by first seeking to understand the situation. Through careful observation, thoughtful questioning, and consideration of individual student needs, I ensure my responses are fair and free of assumptions.

I plan instruction that incorporates students’ interests, such as animals, family, and favorite activities, to increase engagement and motivation. Connecting learning to what matters to students makes lessons more meaningful and encourages active participation.

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1. Acknowledging Students – I’ve practiced greeting students at the door and using their native language. I also realized that simply noticing students’ efforts through praise or small gestures, can make a big difference.

2. Communicating Value – I try to show students that their ideas, questions, and work matter. I would sometimes bring up a great effort or out of the box thinking of a particular student from the previous day or even a week. This way they know I am listening and I care about what they say.

3. Respecting Students- I make an effort to listen carefully, respond thoughtfully, and treat all students with fairness and kindness. I know that this way will make them feel comfortable telling me anything. If I don’t have time to listen at that moment, I make sure I get back to them later.

4. Demonstrating Fairness- Being fair means maintaining consistency and equity so every student feels supported. Calling on randomly using stick perhaps but I tell them i will be calling and I give them time to think so they are not feeling like “I got you” instead I want to send message “I am here for you”.

5. Exhibiting Realness- Showing that I am human too. I invite my daughter to volunteer in class, I share stries from my country, I acknowledge my mistakes and I apologize when I make mistake.

6. Being Open to Humor and Fun- I love bringing fun to our classroom. Sometimes it comes unintentionally, like when we were cutting out turkey thank you feathers, I made a hole in my shirt. I think they will remember me for this :)

7. Building Interest into Learning Experiences – I aim to make lessons relevant and engaging. I try to use their names in math problems, or include ballet or soccer in word problems. Also now teaching them 6-7 multiplication facts brings a lot of interest :)

8. Culturally Relevant Teaching-Recognizing diversity is important to me, especially because I belong to another culture and understand what it feels like to be seen for that. I research and find items at thrift stores that relate to different cultures to include in the classroom. Books from around the world are always good, too.

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1. Greet students by their name at the door each morning

2. After behavior incidents, re-establish contact

3. Involve students in decisions, it will help them feel like it is their classroom too. It will also help them feel like their opinions matter too.

4. Give students warnings before giving a consequence so that they have a chance to make a change in their behavior or choice

5. Sharing personal anecdotes with students. This will help them understand and connect with you.

6. Laugh at yourself, especially when you make a mistake to show vulnerability and to make the classroom more fun. I like to be humorous when I teach, it helps the students be more engaged,

7. Making decisions to adapt your lessons to make the content/learning more accessible to your students based on their learning styles or the experiences/interests they have.

8. Include students' histories and cultures into their learning. For example, read books that include their culture and characters that are similar to them. It is also important to give them a chance to share their experiences and knowledge about the culture.

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Ask students what they are interested in and follow up with questions. "When is your next game", "How was your game last weekend?", "I love your drawing do you have anymore like this?".

When speaking to students make eye contact and nod to show you understand and that you're listening.

When trying to correct a student don't call them out, simply get on their level and ask them if everything is okay and then explain how they can correct their behavior in a calm voice.

Make learning fun and infectious so they are just as interested.

Share things about your life to show students that you are human too. Talk about your weekend, share fun things that you did, random facts.

When creating lessons make sure to incorporate students interests and cultures so students want to learn.

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Examples of relationship-building components:

1. Acknowledging Students – Using student’s name or nickname to welcome them back when they were out sick and use genuine enthusiasm to show them how much I missed them

2. Being Accessible – Floating around during independent and group work time to provide feedback and my undivided attention for open support

3. Involving Students in Decisions – Asking students for help when creating new norms, expectations, and standards, and permitting open dialogue during such new procedural development processes

4. Demonstrating Fairness – Consistently providing all students with a maximum of three warnings for the same infractions before providing consequences that involve family contact, so they have time to adjust their behavior

5. Exhibiting Realness – Sharing my unique interests that align with students' interests and the lesson/activity

6. Being Open to Humor and Fun – Laughing at myself whenever I make mistakes and letting the silly moment turn into a time for students to laugh at/with me for deeper connection

7. Building Student Interest into Learning – Using real-life hands-on, scenario application to connect to student’s background knowledge, so they are more engaged

8. Culturally Relevant Instruction - Include students' cultures and experiences in learning to ensure all students feel seen, included, and connected to content

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1. Acknowledging students: show students you care about them by greeting them, noticing when something is wrong, and checking in on them. This will help build trust.

2. Communicate value: hold students to high expectations. Show students that they are capable through encouragement and praise.

3. Exhibiting realness: show students that you are human and you make mistakes too, and it's okay to make mistakes because that's how we grow and learn.

4. Culturally relevant instruction: understand and take interest in student cultures and backgrounds and incorporate them into learning to make learning relatable.

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Acknowledging students:

Greet students lively with a sincere smile as they come out from the bus, walking in the hallway and again before the class begins

Communicating value:

Paying attention to what the students are sharing.

Respecting students:

I talk to my students privately when I am correcting misbehavior

Demonstrating fairness:

Grading fairly by setting clear criteria for success

Exhibiting realness:

Sharing interests and acknowledging my students interests by doing/performing these with them

Being open to humor and fun:

Tell jokes and laugh with their jokes

Building Students' Interest into Learning Experiences:

Create differentiated activities where students could apply/perform their learning according to their interests

Culturally Relevant Instruction:

Showcase artifacts that students are proud of from their cultures

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Examples of four elements of relationship building with students

1.      Keeping promises and following through on commitments

2. Using a variety of teaching strategies to meet different learning needs

3. Making eye contact and smiling while interacting with students

4. Using expressive voice, gestures, and movement to make lessons lively

5. Showing excitement and curiosity about topics being taught

6. Incorporating interactive and hands-on activities that actively involve students

7. Reacting positively to student participation and encouraging exploration

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1. Acknowledging students - Greeting each student by name and noticing small achievement, like completing a challenging task.

2. Communicating value- Praising a student for their perspective during class discussion.

3. Respecting students-Listening actively when a student shares their thoughts.

4. Demonstrating fairness - Applying classroom rules consistently and giving each student equal opportunities to participate.

5. Exhibiting realness- sharing a personal or admitting when you don't know something.

6. Being open to humor and fun- using playful activities to make learning enjoyable without disrupting focus.

7. Building interest into learning experiences- connecting a lesson to real life scenario they love about

8. culturally relevant instruction- including books, examples, or projects that reflect students' cultural backgrounds and experiences.

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My examples of each Relationship Building component:

1. Acknowledging Students - Welcoming students back when they were absent and acting excited to see them to show we missed them

2. Communicating Value - Setting high expectations for all students to show them they are capable of doing hard things

3. Respecting Students - Returning assignments quickly and offering good feedback they can learn from. I try and meet with my students to discuss and go over their math exit tickets to fix any mistakes.

4. Demonstrating Fairness - Giving warnings before providing consequences so they have room to fix their mistakes

5. Exhibiting Realness - Share interests and connecting with my students' interests

6. Being Open to Humor and Fun - Telling funny stories so students can see the silly side of me

7. Building Student Interest into Learning - Connecting their background knowledge to learning so they are more engaged and can relate

8. Culturally Relevant Instruction - Include students' cultures and experiences in learning. Making sure every child feels seen and connected to lessons

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Acknowledging students: Don't dismiss students responses, provide feedback and try to relate it to what is being taught whenever possible.

Communicate value: Provide students with daily affirmations and check ins.

Respect students: Be open to students ideas and perspectives

Demonstrate fairness: Set fair expectations as a class and for individuals

Exhibiting realness: Share your own experiences.

Being open to humor and fun: Provide a weekly or daily joke.

Build student interest: Use a worksheet that has the students favorite tv show character

Culturally Relevant Instruction: Use vocabulary that is related to students culture. For example: Students in my class are encouraged to share what they call their family members (ex. abuelita vs grandma or grammie)

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1. Using student names when greeting or when speaking to them.

2. Going over the days schedule, asking for questions or to clarify something

3. Showing timers during work time or free time

4. 3 changes to make positive choices

5. Asking them about their day or weekend, while also sharing about mine

6. Crack in a joke about a new trend that they know or being more animated with read alouds

7. Providing time for students to be hands-on for a certain activity and then connect to another learning style within the same subject

8. Connecting stories back to the students. "Just like ___, I also celebrate Christmas."

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Acknowledge students by greeting them by name. Listen to students' stories from home to communicate that you value them. Discipline students in private settings to show you respect them. Show fairness by providing warnings before consequences. Be real with students by sharing about your life. Show openness by laughing with students when something funny happens and laugh at yourself too. Plan lessons with students interests and cultures in mind when possible.

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Exhibiting Realness: Using "I" messages - shows your class that you are human too.

Being Open to Humor and Fun: laugh at yourself - have fun and show it's okay when you make mistakes.

Demonstrating Fairness: Listen to both sides of a story before making an assumption.

Respect Students: Take the time to involve your students whenever you can, this creates a safe space for them.

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Acknowledging students: Greeting at the door with a positive attitude. (Sets the tone)

Communicating value: showing interest in what the students have to say.

Respecting students: Respecting students perspectives and providing a safe space where they can feel safe to share these perspectives.

Demonstrating fairness: Set clear expectations and give warnings before providing consequences.