As we near the two-year anniversary of the start of the pandemic, educators and students face a host of new challenges. And while the pandemic has taken a lot of opportunities away from students, it has also given educators the chance to reevaluate our practices and prioritize what is most important to us and our students.

At our school, we began the year with a renewed focus on fostering relationships and connections to support our students’ social-emotional learning needs. Our goal was to build a safe and trusting community where our students are known as individuals. Also, according to a recent national survey, students with strong connections to teachers reported that they pay attention and participate in class more.

In celebration of National Mentoring Month, here are three strategies we used at Pasadena Independent School District to support and mentor our students through challenging times, strengthening our school community in the process.

  • Adopt a people-first mindset
  • Survey students to understand what is going on in their lives
  • Use digital tools to maximize relationship-building opportunities

Read the full article about student mentorship strategies by Kelli Moneyhun at Getting Smart.