
This is a perfect way to have students share their personal sparks. Show & Tell: Ask students to find an object to share with the class. These activities are a great way to share student sparks and build relationships with students. Many of the games below are a perfect way to share and connect with student sparks. Click here to read more about using sparks in the classroom, and click here for a guide on sparks via distance learning. In our STEM programs, we use different games and activities to help students find their spark, and then we utilize those sparks throughout the year to personalize activities. Research shows that kids who know and develop their sparks-and who have adults in their lives to help-have higher grades, better school attendance, and a sense of purpose.” Sparks were developed by the Search Institute, who explains them as follows: “Sparks are the activities and interests that truly engage kids to be their best. A spark is what a student is passionate about, what lights them up and gives them well.that “spark”. Only students engaged in learning will find academic success!īut how do we build deeper relationships? The best approach we have found is through using sparks. While some are perfect for enhancing academic learning, many are intended to focus on relationship building and mental health. During a live class session, such as through Zoom or Google Meets, teachers can use the activities provided below to increase engagement and re-connect with students. Instead students are stuck at home, often spending hours on their devices, and they are craving meaningful relationships.Īs educators, we must make time to check-in with our students. Gone are the daily interactions of peers and social activities like lunch or football games. Remote learning is having a detrimental impact on the mental health of our students and impacting their social and emotional learning learning. How to Maintain Relationships via Distance Learningīefore we jump into our list, let’s talk about relationships.
