The Great Gatsby Method: Forging Strong Teacher-Student Relationships
I’ve been teaching for 10 years…
10 years of working with and building relationships with students.
10 years of seeing their quirks and personalities shine.
10 years of supporting, laughing, crying and learning alongside students as they navigate the intricacies of being a teenager in an ever-changing world.
I find it fascinating that most educators I speak to will always reference ‘the kids’ as being the reason they stay in their roles. I also think it makes complete sense, we are relational by nature. Our students are the big why, the reason why teachers get out of bed and head into another whirlwind week of delivering curriculum while juggling an administrative and well-being load that comes along as an added bonus. It’s never about teaching history or inspiring the youths with the latest in science (while also very cool); it’s always about the relationships that are formed with the young people teachers serve. While I know I have my fair share of fond memories of the actual ‘teaching’ when I dive into these memories, they are actually about relationships.
A few years ago, a colleague of mine had explained with passion her approach to teaching The Great Gatsby in order to keep Year 11 English students as engaged as possible with a text that might’ve felt far removed from the world we currently inhabit. I was inspired by her electric desire to engage students in their learning.
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When teaching this text myself last year, I decided to take a leaf out of her book and experiment with my own approach. Students wouldn’t just be reading about Gatsby’s parties on the lawn; they would be living them - with disco lights, decorations and party food featured as classroom staples during particular passage readings. They would be learning how to dance the Charleston and the Foxtrot in an attempt to immerse themselves in the pages of Fitzgerald and make them come to life.
While this is a significant undertaking for any teacher, it’s also what teachers do - they are magical, generous, and willing to go the extra mile if it means students might just enjoy those precious 60 minutes in a muggy English classroom that bit more. However, my curiosity peaked as I began to question if it was the lessons themselves that students connected with or if it was the relationships we formed with students throughout units of work.
When we collected feedback after Gatsby had met his fate and the essay marking was complete, what I found helped to prove what we know as educators. While they certainly enjoyed the classes and had said they “loved the dance lessons” and the “origami flower tribute during Gatsby’s death scene”, what stood out the most were comments such as “Ms Hughes was so funny, it was cool to hear her experiences of dance lessons growing up” and “Ms Hughes made it really relevant to us, like when she linked the relationship Gatsby and Daisy to celebrity scandals.”
This is the wonderful gift of relationship that teachers can give to students: magic happens when strong connections form between us and our students. It's not just about teaching math or English; it's about building relationships that fuel engagement and boost learning.
Ever heard of Self-Determination Theory? (it's a good one and one of our favourites at Youth Engagement Project). It's like the superhero of motivation theories, swooping in to save the day. According to this theory, when students feel a sense of autonomy, competence, and relatedness in the classroom, they're more motivated to learn and excel. And where do these feelings stem from? You got it—strong teacher-student relationships!
That’s exactly what was present in Gatsby-land learning; the students felt connected through storytelling (cue awkward reenactments of early teen ballet classes - relatedness), a sense of achievement in learning new dance moves (competence) and the choice to participate in rich class discussions and debates (autonomy).
When we are able to have enriching relationships with students and form bonds that are built on mutual respect and a sense of understanding, we are able to engage students with themselves and their learning in a richer, more meaningful way.
Practical Tips to Strengthen Those Bonds:
Be Real, Be You: Let your authentic self shine through. Share your quirks, your passions, and yes, even your occasional goof-ups. When students see the real you, they'll feel more comfortable opening up too.
Tune In, Turn Up: Ever had a conversation where you're talking, but the other person's mind is somewhere else? Not cool, right? Show your students you're all ears—lean in, make eye contact, and really listen. Trust me, they'll notice the difference.
Know Your Students: Every student is unique, like a puzzle piece waiting to fit into the bigger picture. Take the time to understand what makes each student tick—what gets them excited, what challenges them—and tailor your approach accordingly (we call this ‘speaking into a student’s listening’).
Empathy Is Key: Put yourself in your students' shoes and see the world through their eyes. Acknowledge their feelings, validate their experiences, and show them you care. A little empathy can go a long way in building trust and rapport.
Build Community: Transform your classroom into a tight-knit community where everyone feels like they belong. Foster teamwork, encourage collaboration and create opportunities for students to connect with one another.
Teaching isn't just about imparting knowledge; it's about forging connections that light the way for our students.
By investing in positive teacher-student relationships grounded in theories like self-determination theory, we're not just teaching content; we're empowering young minds, igniting a passion for learning, and shaping the leaders of tomorrow.
