Have you ever been to a party, social gathering, or event where you felt warm and welcome, as if every last detail was well-considered so that you, as a guest, would have a good experience?

Behind that event was a thoughtful and courteous host, who worked hard to plan ahead and anticipate the needs of their guests.

In a way, as teachers, we are like hosts to our students in our classroom. Oftentimes, we teach our classes over a long period of time and see many, many students (‘visitors’) come and go. We can build up our learning experiences and classroom environment to be welcoming and accommodating, so our students who ‘visit’ our learning world know they are valued.

A good host lets their guests know:

•They will be respected as equals

•They will be seen, heard and understood

•They will have their needs met

•The host made an effort for them to feel comfortable and welcome

•They will be tended to while in your care

•They will be nourished (at a party we do this with food; in the classroom we provide intellectual and creative nourishment!)

•The host will make efforts to make sure the guest enjoys their time in your world

•They will be celebrated for being themselves

Let’s make sure your students know the following:

• You prepared for the time they would spend with you. This includes keeping a clean and tidy space, and planning a meaningful learning activity.

• You thought about their preferences, personalities, interests and specific needs prior to the lesson.

• You designed the experience with their well-being in mind

• You will accommodate any special requests or needs and meet them where they are. If you are the host of a party, you want your guests to have fun. What do you need to do to get them to have fun? Maybe bring out a game they like, or play music you think they will enjoy. As a teacher, you’ll do this with scaffolding. Consider where your students are in their learning journey, and consider ways to get them to where you want them to be.

• You will pay attention to their needs in the moment and make adjustments as needed. Maybe you notice that your guest puts on their sweater because they are chilly, so you close the window or turn up the heat. The classroom analogy is differentiation. Small adjustments make a big difference.

• You care about them, especially when they are in your learning environment.

• You ask questions about their lives and interests to get to know them better and put them at ease.

This puts the student at the center of the experience. Your ‘event’ is your class, and you are welcoming students into the classroom that’s been entrusted to you. Make it count. Learning environments can be a vulnerable space for students, because often they feel unsure of whether or not they belong there. Get them to know how loved and appreciated they are. Make them feel at ease and welcome. Your students are the reason you get to do the job you love, so let them see how much you respect them!

What do you think of the idea of a teacher as a host? Let me know in the comments or email artfuleducational@gmail.com!