The move
Each week, pick one student and use their interest survey to start short conversations in passing about anything but schoolwork.
See how it works
At a glance
- Time in class
- None. About 2 minutes a week, in the hallway or before class.
- Prep
- One-time: give the interest survey (linked below) in the first weeks.
- Materials
- Student Interest Survey and its tracker
- Grouping
- One student per week
- Use it when
- All year
Why it works
Students who feel known by a teacher tend to be more engaged and do better over time. In one study, telling teachers and students what they had in common improved their relationships and students’ grades. Short, regular chats are enough to build that connection.
Step by step
In class: about 2–3 min
- 2Pick your studentMonday, 30 seconds
- 3Find a detail30 seconds
- 4Start a chat1 minute, a few times that week
- 5Log it10 seconds
Before class: Give the survey
- Give the surveyOnce, 10 minutesStudents fill out the interest survey. Keep it private.
- Pick your studentMonday, 30 secondsGo down the tracker in order.
- Find a detail30 secondsA team, a show, a hobby, something they’re looking forward to.
- Start a chat1 minute, a few times that week“Hey, you said you play travel soccer. How’d the game go this weekend?”
- Log it10 secondsDate and one note. Move to the next student next week.
See it in action
“You said you have a new puppy. What did you name it?”
“You said you’re into drawing. Are you working on anything right now?”
“You mentioned you work at the grocery store. How do you balance that with school?”
Watch out for
- Turning it into a school talk: keep it about them, not their grades.
- Forced conversations: keep it short and natural; a minute is plenty.
- Skipping quiet students: follow the tracker so no one is missed.
Level up
- Work through your whole roster before the semester ends.
- Remember a follow-up detail the next time you see them.
Make it work for everyone
- Multilingual learners: let them answer the survey in their home language; ask about something from home.
- IEP and 504 supports: no changes needed; this is about connection.
- Students who share little: start with a simple choice question: “Pizza or tacos?”
Tech option
Copy the survey questions into a Google Form so answers land in a spreadsheet.
Resources
Reflect
Did anything change in class with the students you connected with?
Evidence
ModerateGehlbach, H., Brinkworth, M. E., King, A. M., Hsu, L. M., McIntyre, J., & Rogers, T. (2016). Creating birds of similar feathers: Leveraging similarity to improve teacher–student relationships and academic achievement. Journal of Educational Psychology, 108(3), 342–352. Sharing what teachers and students had in common improved relationships and grades.
Hamre, B. K., & Pianta, R. C. (2001). Early teacher–child relationships and the trajectory of children’s school outcomes through eighth grade. Child Development, 72(2), 625–638.
Find the research: Gehlbach (2016) · Hamre (2001)