Teachers' Strategies to Positively Connect Students to School

Background: School connectedness is a leading school-based protective factor against youth engagement in risky behaviors. Research on teachers' individual practices in fostering school connections with their students is currently lacking. Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to address gaps in the research by examining elementary and middle school teachers' use of specific strategies to positively connect students to school. Methods: An electronic survey was completed by 419 (60% response rate) elementary and middle school teachers. Results: On average, teachers reported using connection-building strategies at least once a week. The most frequently used strategies were acting like a positive role model for students and calling students by their first names. MANOVAs were conducted and found teachers who most frequently reported using connection-building strategies were elementary school teachers, those who had received training on school connectedness outside of/after college, and those working at a school with connection-building as a leading priority. Discussion: Training teachers on positively connecting students to school was associated with increased use of connection-building techniques in the classroom. Translation to Health Education Practice: Findings have implications for health education professionals interested in increasing school connectedness among students through teacher practices and school priorities. (Contains 5 tables.)