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“People will forget the things you do, and people will forget the things you say. But people will never forget how you made them feel.” - Maya Angelou, author/poet

You teach because you love spending your day helping kids learn. You want your students to know and understand themselves and their strengths, and to feel accepted and loved because of them.

You value: trust, candor, purpose, connection, respect

Champions does their best work by building meaningful relationships with their students. Here are a couple ways that you can come to know your students -- and help them to know you too.

• Learn the names and faces of all of your students by the end of week one. Talk to their previous teachers, connect with their families, and give them .

• Give students easy ways to with you. For example, ask them to draw or write a recipe for their favorite food or have them pick from a few strengths to tell you what they're awesome at. And give them permission to ask you questions too.

• Go to your student's sports games, performances, and out-of-school events to develop a strong relationship independent of grades. When your students see you , they identify you as a person before they see you as their educator.

"My commitment to engaged pedagogy is an expression of political activism." - bell hooks, author and activist

You believe teaching is a social justice tradition. You want your students to learn about and celebrate their cultures and communities, and to understand that they can affect these.

You value: voice, community, courage, integrity, trust

Community Investors thrive on a healthy, vibrant community and building relationships through civic consciousness. You can foster the robust class community you seek and reaffirm your connections to the broader school and local community in many ways.

• Families and caregivers are central to your students' community. Proactively connect with them early to get to know them, their needs, and the supports they already provide their child. This will help you sustain a and better serve your students' needs throughout the year.

• by greeting all members of school staff including custodial, lunchroom and school partners. Demonstrating this level of respect for your community inspires your students to do the same.

• Start a class blog, , or newsletter. This will help to connect your students and their families as well as serve as a platform to highlight events in your community or as a place to organize for social change.

"Everyone who remembers [their] own education remembers teachers, not methods and techniques. The teacher is the heart of the educational system." – Sidney Hook, philosopher

Our students deserve mirrors that reflect who they are, where they have been, and where they can go. You share similarities with your students, so it's important to you to show up in the ways that people may not have in the past. You want the kids you teach to see people who look like them thriving, learning, and supporting them in their own journeys.

You value: voice, identity, resilience, representation, joy

Role Models value their students’ identities and seek to reflect these throughout their classroom and instruction. Here are some low-hanging ways that you can demonstrate that you see and value the many identities in your classroom.

• Where you are is a reflection of who you are. Decorate your classroom in a way that reflects your identity and the identities of your students. You will all feel most comfortable when you are in your element.

• Be sure to read books and resources that will grab your students’ attention and show them that the world of writing can represent some parts of their own experiences. Here is a list of great examples for .