Friendliness is contagious

I had my first meaningful interaction with a Stellys student on Wednesday, Sept 18. I met a grad who was volunteering through her leadership class to help administer the Terry Fox run. We were stationed at the same corner and we chatted as runners came through our area. We had a great discussion about her secondary school experience and what she’s looking forward to next year.

I’m always proud of students who volunteer within their school. This student was one of many Stellys students who were helping with Terry Fox related activities on the 18th. I chatted with her for 15-20 minutes, and our conversation was casual and easy. I asked her all sorts of questions about her different experiences at Stellys, and she was happy to share and help me understand the school and community a little better. She wasn’t very curious about me, and that’s okay! Our conversation kept flowing as I continued to ask her meaningful things about her high school years. 

I find talking to students easy. I think they have lots to say, especially when asked in the right way. I approach students friendly and warmly, and I can usually detect the body language of someone who does not want to have an interaction. I’ll ask a student about their timetable, their plan for the following year if they are graduating, or how their day is going. If a student answers genuinely, I’ll ask follow up questions and dig a little deeper. 

Something interesting happens when I have genuine conversational moments with youth like this student. Other students who don’t know me, witness my conversation with a student and recognize that I’m friendly and want to join the conversation. It’s amazing when a student lines up politely to engage in a conversation with me once I’m available, and it happens all the time. Or a student will join into a conversation that I’m having with another student once they recognize that I’m a safe or interesting person to talk to. I think most students enjoy sharing a story or being part of a fun conversation, and showing friendliness seems to be contagious.

Making these connections with students is so important to me. After engaging a student, they usually return warmer and more open the next interaction. Once I can get the nitty gritty of what a student likes, dislikes, or has struggles with, I can really start to think about how to best support that student’s learning.