1. Sp/Ed 478/578 Educational Interventions: Emotional/Behavioral
Disorders
Instructor: Professor Ann Goldade
Assignment completed by Mary-Ann Rolf, June 10, 2009
CONNECTING WITH STUDENTS
BY ALLEN N. MENDLER (2001)

2. Necessary Attitudes & Feelings
Feel compassion & concern (p. 12)
Learn from the students (p. 13-14)
Search to find deeper issues (p. 14-16)
Maintain optimism and persistence (p. 16-17)
Build on student strengths (p. 17)
Value relationship with student (p. 19)
Make classroom safe (p. 20)

3. Personal Connection
 Collect personal index cards (p. 21)
 Smile & greet students (p. 22-23)
 Post pictures of friends & family (p. 24)
 Ask opinions of quiet students (p. 25)
 Offer notes of appreciation (p. 28)
 Establish predictable rules & routines (p. 35)
 Notice absence-phone, e-mail, note (p. 43)
 Have fun together (p. 44)

4. Academic Connection
 Ask open-ended questions (p. 47)
 Offer adequate wait time-10 seconds (p. 48)
 Show students they can overcome obstacles
(p. 49)
 Specify daily learning objectives (p. 52)
 Connect the content with current issues of
meaning (p. 53)
 Use e-mail to communicate with students
and parents (p. 56)

5. Developing Social Connection
 Ask for summary to promote listening (p. 67)
 Encourage students to help with each other’s
problems (p. 69)
 Give students problem-solving tools (p. 69)
 Let students make some of the rules (p. 70)
 Break bread together (p. 77)
 Deal with disrespectful behavior even when it
involves students not in my class (p. 79)