Want to create a stronger bond and relationship with your students but don’t know where to begin? Start with your passions. There is a large array of categories to choose from, but here are a few to get your mind jogging:
Music: Your team will love it if you can lead them in song vocally or instrumentally. Your students will enjoy coming over to sing or hear you play. In the classroom, you can create fun songs to help students remember vocabulary, phrases, and pronunciation. Sometimes the cheesiest songs are what they remember most. Go to karaoke to build relationships with students who love singing with you no matter how bad you sound. Perform at parties, events, and banquets and you will see enormous joy in your colleagues and school officials.
Movies: Create a weekly movie night in your home and discuss them with your students. Bring your favorite movie clips into your lessons and perk the interest of your students.
Baking/Cooking: Students love to come over to make anything. Invite them over and learn how to make cookies, banana bread, or pizza. Whatever you like to cook, even if it the simplest of foods, it is often exciting for them to learn.
Have them cook for you! Learn how to make Chinese food or just order Chinese takeout and sit around your table talking. Bring a snack into your office for your colleagues and open up a conversation. Bring a snack to a neighbor or invite them over to your house and invest in the community around you.
Reading: Create a book club during your office hours and connect with other avid readers. Reading for fun helps students enjoy English and gain confidence! Teach a writing class and read all the papers and journals they write. Pursue current news and keep your teammates up to date on current events abroad.
Sports/Exercise: Find out what sports your students enjoy and join them each week. Discover if they are on a team and cheer from the sidelines, you might notice more participation in the classroom too. Join a local gym and go workout with a student. Collect some workout videos and invite a group over to your home to exercise. Begin to meet the students out jogging every night on the track, they will be happy to ask you questions as you walk or are out of breath from running.
Art: There are always a few art lovers in the classroom. Invite them over for an art night. Find a fun Pinterest idea and do a creative project together. Go to a local museum and ask the students questions about the art. Create decorations for holidays by inviting students to make something.
The list is endless but a simple gesture can go a long way. Start today!
