Teachers can increase students’ sense of belongingness in their classes by using this concentrated strategy, generally attributed to the researcher Raymond Wlodkowski.
MUSIC PLAYING] SPEAKER: One of the key factors that determines student success is their sense of belonging, which is important because we see a direct correlation between belonging and academic success. One way that teachers can connect with a student in a meaningful way is through a technique known as a 2 by 10. This story of a teacher helps us to understand the process and benefits of a 2 by 10 strategy.
Jennifer was a teacher who was having a hard time connecting with one of her students, Juan. Juan came to class but often sat with his head on the desk and didn’t participate in discussions. Juan had not turned in much work, so Jennifer didn’t have a good sense of his academic strengths yet. And he was at risk of not passing the class.
Jennifer shared her dilemma with her coach, who suggested she try a 2-by-10 strategy with Juan. That meant she would talk to Juan for two minutes every day for 10 consecutive days, not about schoolwork, just about life. Jennifer was willing to give it a try and promised to text her coach each day to let her know how the conversations were going.
On the first day, Jennifer found some time during class to go sit next to Juan. She asked how his day was going. “Good.” She asked if he had a good weekend. “It was OK.” She asked what he did on the weekend. “Played video games.”
Jennifer was concerned about how she was going to get to two minutes of conversation. She texted her coach that afternoon, “Rough start, could barely make it to two minutes.” Her coach replied, “Well done for getting started. Looking forward to seeing how tomorrow goes.”
Jennifer went back in the next day. Afterwards, she texted her coach, “This kid doesn’t want to talk to me. All I know is that he likes playing video games.” On day eight, Jennifer texted her coach, “This kid is fascinating. He feels pressure to be a role model to his three younger siblings to whom he is a role model. He plays soccer video games because he loves football.”
By day 10, Jennifer texted, “Juan and I talked for 10 minutes today. He has a great sense of humor and made me laugh several times. Interestingly, he started participating in class a bit more too. Yesterday he raised his hand to share an idea during our class discussion. He’s never done that before.”
Reflecting on the experience, Jennifer says Juan sometimes initiates their conversations now. He is participating in class and has even started handing in work. Of the 2-by-10 strategy, Jennifer said, it not only changed her relationship with Juan, but it changed her thoughts about students generally and what they’re capable of. She is already thinking about another student to try this with.
The 2-by-10 strategy is a powerful way to connect with students. And for teachers looking to try it, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, when selecting your student, consider students that are disconnected, students with whom you don’t have a great relationship with yet, students at risk of failing academically.
Second, make sure your conversations are not about school. If the student takes it in that direction, it’s fine. But you should not start there. Focus on getting to know the student as a human first.
Third, keep it up and establish a process for accountability. Have a colleague you can text or report to about how the conversations are going. Recognize that it could be challenging, but it’s worth persevering.
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