SHOWING YOUR STUDENTS YOU CARE: SEEING THE

INDIVIDUAL TRESS IN THE CLASSROOM FOREST

Article Review
Eastern University
Methods of Classroom Management: Edu 382

Lynnea Summerscales
The article I chose for this assignment touches on the subject of classroom management

by giving suggestions and examples of caring relationships between teachers and

students. The authors have identified two challenges that most teachers face, and they

are, managing a classroom and addressing the needs of individual students. These

challenges are a part of teachers’ every day routine. The article offers a recommendation

to new and experienced teachers; and that recommendation can be summed up in one

word, caring.

By opening up and forming caring relationships with your students you show them that

you are more than the content that you teach. There should be 3 elements at play in a

caring relationship; the one caring, the one being cared for, and the relationship between

the two. The authors suggest that not only do those 3 elements need to be present for a

caring relationship to work, but the one being cared for must realize they are being cared

for. That caring relationship can then be extended into other facets of the teaching-

learning relationship. An example is provided of a teacher, who, during his student

teaching was given an assignment of selecting a student to talk to for 15 minutes about

issues other than academics. Some ideas for such discussions include the student’s goals,

background and family, languages spoken, hobbies or favorite music. The assignment

proved to be helpful but also intimidating for some teachers.

To understand these relationships more, the authors provide us with four themes:

Theme 1: Seeing one group of people versus seeing individuals within the group.

Theme 2: Talking to individual students is threatening to some teachers.

Theme 3: One conversation can initiate significant positive change.

Theme 4: questioning students beyond their stated answer.

The first theme reminds teachers to see their students as individuals rather than a “class”,

and theme 2 reminds us to set our vulnerabilities aside and step out of our comfort zone.

Theme 3 supports the efforts of caring and how it positively affects students, explaining

that a 15-minute conversation can be powerful enough to turn a negative student into one

of your biggest allies in the classroom. The final theme deals with content in which the

student is learning. This theme prompts teachers to not only ask questions, but to look

for understanding and meaning behind the answers. One teacher explained, “We aren’t

just looking for the right answers; we are looking for how the students are thinking and

the strategies they are using to come up with the solution.” When teachers care about

their students in a way that promotes deeper thinking and a deeper sense of caring and

belonging, they give their students a gift that will stay with them longer than they may

ever realize.

I agree with this article on many levels and can appreciate the simplicity of its

recommendations. Showing students you care is one of the easiest things you can do,

however I do agree that for some teachers it could be intimidating. I think that is more

likely to happen with older students, especially ones that seem to have experience putting

walls up to protect themselves. There is something about human nature that will

sometimes prevent us from trying to break down those walls, but once we try, we may

realize that it is our own walls that were in the way. Caring for our younger students

often comes naturally because there is a strong sense of need. They need us. They need

us to keep them safe, read a book, help them go to the bathroom and tie their shoes. We

are rarely intimidated by people who need us. Something else I found interesting in this
 article is the authors suggestion that it is not enough to care for the individual, but the

individual needs to feel that they are being cared for. I am not sure I necessarily agree

with that statement but I can appreciate and understand where the author comes from

when he says that. I think you need to know your audience and by that you need to know

the likes and dislikes, the ins and outs of your students for them to feel truly cared about.

I like the suggestion of spending 15 minuets with a student discussing matters other than

behavior or academics. For our younger students I would cut that down to 5 minuets

because their attention span will surely fade. I hope to implement the themes the authors

laid out, in a way that will be natural and heart felt. At the end of the day I want my

students to know what it feels like to be cared for, not just by me but by each other.

Philipp, A. R., & Thanheiser, E. (2010, MAy). Showing Your Students You Care: Seeing The Individual
Trees in The Classroom Forest. New England Mathematics Journal, pp. 8-17.