One of the greatest assets of our Granite State College faculty community is the level of compassion we all have for each other and our students. Teaching with care and creating community is the heart of all great teaching strategies. To be a successful teacher you must be able to understand your students and show compassion and empathy to their challenges and successes. 
 
In the Faculty Focus article “Teaching with Care: Why Community is at the Heart of Successful Pedagogy” by Juli S. Charkes and Mitch Fried, five strategies are being used to help faculty build community within the classroom. These five strategies include:
 
  • Cultivate instructor presence – to make a true difference your students need to “see” you. I know, for the most part, our classes are online. That means we must make our presence known even more. Consider using videos or offering zoom check-ins with your students so that they can have that interaction with you.
  • Build Trust – Trust is at the core of all good relationships and communities. Learn your students' names and stories so that you are able to have a personal dialogue with each of them. In addition, you want your students to have that same trust for you as their instructor. Share your own stories to help them understand that you are just like them.
  • Assign Group Work with Oversight – Building collaboration is key to creating community. Teamwork isn’t always welcomed but is necessary. Students need the opportunity to work with their peers and build those relationships. Be sure to keep a careful oversight of the group work to make sure that it is progressing in a positive manner.
  • Be Sensitive to Cultural Differences – Each student brings with them their own experiences and cultures. Be sure to be sensitive to these differences to ensure an inclusive environment for all.
  • Survey early and Survey Often – Assessing through surveys is one of the most effective ways to build a community. Consider using the KQS method (Keep, Quit, Stop) Please see the “Three Simple Questions for Teaching & Student Success” video on this method on the O-TLC site!
 
These are just a few ideas to create community with your students. If you have strategies that have worked well in your courses we would love to hear about them. Please share them by completing the following survey!
 

- The Office of Academic Affairs at Granite State College