Coming up with engaging lesson plans and sticking to your curriculum is only half of being a successful teacher. The other half is making sure your students feel cared for while in your classroom. When students feel like they have teachers who believe in them, they’ll become better learners. Here are six ways you can put heart into your classroom show your students that you care.

Be involved

Your relationship with your students can’t be strictly business. You need to take an interest in them, their hobbies, and their lives. Ask your kids about what they do outside of the classroom. If you share a common interest, make sure your kids know and find some way to tie it into your lesson plans.

Invest in classroom decorations

If adopting a hybrid model, classroom decorations do so much more than spruce up four lifeless walls. The right classroom decorations can set the tone for your class and make your students feel welcome. When you make an effort to make your students feel at home, they know you care. The evidence of your passion for teaching is all around them, and students take notice of such attention to detail.

The right decorations can also support learning. You can include information that students often forget, like a number line or punctuation guide. With these decorations, you tell your students that you want them to succeed.

Give students a say

Many students don’t enjoy school because they feel like they’re expected to do what they’re told without question. Teachers who give students the power of choice in their class send a clear message: I trust you and want you to have a say in your learning.

While you can’t let students make all the decisions, you can allow them to choose as much as possible. For example, give your kids a choice board for an assignment or let them choose the order of lessons. Even the youngest of students can benefit from autonomy in the learning process.

Avoid negative assumptions

It’s difficult not to make assumptions about students, but negative beliefs can set kids up for failure. This type of thinking sets the tone for how you interact with a kid and what expectations you have for them.

Even if you have a student who’s had issues in the past, avoid thinking negatively about them. Expect each student to give you their best. When you have optimistic assumptions about them, they may rise to your expectations and succeed.

Celebrate

Be sure to take opportunities to celebrate. Do something to acknowledge each student’s birthday. You can also have a small celebration if the class does well on a particular assignment or standardized testing. If one kid has a significant achievement, be sure to celebrate their accomplishment.

Help and encourage

It can be frustrating when students are struggling with a seemingly straightforward concept. However, you cannot show your frustration. Instead, help and encourage your students to learn. Meet the kids where they are and develop strategies to meet their learning styles.

When you help, encourage, and tailor lessons for your students, they’ll feel that you genuinely care about them and their successes.

Parting words

As a teacher, you naturally care about your students. However, you can easily get caught up in the objectives and material and forget to connect with the students you are teaching. These tips are sure to help you show your students how much you care.