Ask Your Students...

"Smile."

"Let your students make some of the choices."

"Give your students time for free play."

"Ask your students what they like to do."

"Talk to your students about your dog and your wife."

"Always be fair when your students do something you don't like."

"Tell jokes."

"Make the class fun."

This was some of the advice that a group of second-grade students at a suburban elementary school outside of Houston had to share last year, when a student from a local college was visiting to do his required fieldwork.

On the surface, this advice might seem less than transformational.

But when you take a deeper look, there is a lot of wisdom in the words of this band of enthusiastic students and we can see certain educational and social justice themes begin to emerge.

First, there is a strong need for students to feel connected to their teachers -- to know their teachers and to feel their teachers know them.

Students work best when they feel understood -- a feeling that teachers can nurture by asking students questions about their interests and lives outside of school.

At the same time, students also have a strong curiosity about teachers' lives outside of school -- what their families are like, how they spend their time, and what activities they enjoy. When students know who their teachers are -- not just in the classroom but at home -- they feel more safe within the classroom, and the behavior of teachers also begins to feel more predictable. This predictabilty, often, allows them to feel safe.

This group of students seemed express a strong desire to have their own voice -- to be able to enjoy free time, when they could choose to complete their own activities or stations within the classroom. This isn't surprising, since being shuttled from one activity to another often leaves students feeling like they don't have time to leisurely explore -- and to think more deeply about what they are learning and doing.

There also seems to be a strong desire for more fun within the school setting. So often, particularly in our current high-pressure environment many schools are focused on boosting test scores and teachers are anxious about how and when they are going to cover an expansive curriculum. With these pressures, it is easy to lose sight of fun. But students long for it -- and when we give them opportunities to have fun, they reward us by working hard and extending their respect.

We can learn a lot by listening to our students -- and by doing what we can to honor their desires.