Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1278320
E L C E Y E L L I S A L W AY S looks forward to meeting students on the first day of school. But this year will be different for Ellis, who teaches fourth and fifth graders with mild to moderate disabilities. Instead of greeting them at the door with a smile and per- sonal interaction, she will begin the year online. "Last year, when we transitioned to online learning during the pandemic, I had the bene- fit of already building strong rapport with my students," says Ellis, an education specialist at Jefferson Elementary School and member of the San Diego Education Association. "is year will be different and more of a challenge. But I am determined to build strong relationships with new students so I'm not a stranger on a screen. I'm going to tackle this with love." E l l i s , l i k e m a ny C TA m e m b e r s , w o n d e r s h o w s h e c a n b u i l d r e l a t i o n s h i p s b e tw e e n herself and individual students online — as well as foster a strong relationship with her entire class. Also important to her is helping students connect to each other, by building community to decrease isolation. In the following pages, we offer advice from CTA members who have been teaching online for years and have lots to say about forging connec- tions from scratch with students ranging from kindergarten to college. Kelcey Ellis K Ready to bond with students you've never met? Read on. By Sherry Posnick-Goodwin FORGING DIGITAL CONNECTIONS 32 cta.org Class Act