What do Students Need?

As a teacher, it's important to have your students feel safe, welcomed, accepted, loved, and cared for while at school. How do we assure students are receiving all of that and more? Students and their needs in our classrooms are crucial. We all want to be that teacher to assist every child's needs while going above and beyond. Below are five key needs of students. Although this list isn't graved in stone, the needs can be modified based on your own perspectives. 

1. Affirmation- Students need to know that they'll be okay while at school. They need to feel accepted, safe, have individual acknowledgement in regards to school, interests, hobbies, etc., have people believe them them and have those willing to listen. Students having affirmation addresses that we as teachers are aware of their self-esteem and working with them to have higher self-esteem while at school.

2. Contribution- One of the biggest things we can encourage in our classrooms is having students contribute to the level they're comfortable with. When students contribute they have an overall feeling that they can accomplish anything and feel they've made a difference in the classroom. Each individual student plays an important part in the classroom, without one of the students, the classroom isn't a whole. 

3. Power- All students want to have control of power in the classroom. When students feel powerful, they'll come back wanting more power. Students will quickly understand how the classroom routines operate and know what is expected of them. They'll want to make choices they contribute to their own success-- it's very satisfying to them to find themselves becoming more powerful in the classroom. 

4. Purpose- All of our future students will realize there's a purpose to all they do, in and out of the classroom. Students will understand what they do makes a difference and that they play an important part in the classroom.  

5. Challenge- For each individual student, challenges will be different. Challenge in the classroom gives students the opportunity to plant roots while making their big dreams. When students have a challenge, they'll move toward their dreams. At times students will feel fear and not take a risk to reach their dreams, but challenging themselves will allow them to grow as an individual. 

I feel the above student needs are crucial to the classroom and the way students learn. I want to be the teacher to give teachers all they need in order to feel successful and to reach their dreams. I want to be the teacher who gives all students the opportunities to have daily affirmations, make contributions to the classroom, feel the strength of power, feel they have a purpose in all they do, and make learning a personal challenge to strive above and beyond.  

Daily Affirmations-