Using Quick, Regular Surveys to Help Students Feel Seen

For me as a teacher, the most important message I need to send to my students is that they are seen, valued, and safe in my classroom. If every student receives the message “I see you, I like you, and I’m glad you’re here,” they will feel more connected to the learning environment, and achievement will flourish.

The quickest way for me to help students feel seen is to learn about their perspectives, but how can I quickly gather information on their thoughts and feelings when I serve so many students? I have found that simple, quick surveys through Google Forms (not fancy apps with bells and whistles) can give me precious insights on how students are thinking and how I can meet their needs. Surveys give students a voice and help them feel heard.

Surveys or questionnaires are often used at the start of the school year or term as a “getting to know you” activity. However, quick, regular surveys offer a snapshot of student perspectives and help them feel heard throughout the year or term. The following ideas are how I use surveys in my classroom.

Social and Emotional Perspectives

Using surveys to learn about social and emotional needs can create a safe, private way for students to express what they need. I believe that all behavior is communication of an unmet need, so finding out about student perspectives can help me be proactive. I call this a “Student Perspective Survey,” and I use it to take the temperature in my class at the start of the year and whenever I feel we need to refocus.

For example, if there has been a lot of distraction in the classroom due to changes in behavior patterns, a survey can help me get a better picture of what is going on. The survey is a communication tool to help me recognize and understand unspoken classroom dynamics so that I can better meet student needs. Before this type of survey, I assure students that their responses are private and that they can be fully honest. This creates additional safety and trust. Here are some sample questions I have used in this type of survey:

• Describe your dream class at school. How are people acting?
• What bothers you during the school day?
• How do you feel about the phone policy? How can I help you follow it?
• Are you usually early, on time, or late? How do you do with time management?
• What do you love most about school?

Content-Specific Surveys

At the start of a new unit, I use a quick survey as a formative assessment to find out what students already know about the topic. For example, I have created a survey with vocabulary words and asked students to “define each term in their own words without using any resources beyond their existing knowledge.” This gives me a glimpse of existing knowledge and common misunderstandings to guide my teaching.

Pre-Assessment

Before an assessment, a survey can offer a quick snapshot of student readiness and confidence with the material. This type of survey may include questions such as these:

• How confident are you that you are ready for this test?
• Rate your understanding of the following concepts (list the concepts).
• Explain (concept) in your own words.

When I review the data from the survey, I sometimes choose to delay the assessment for students who do not feel ready. I provide them with another opportunity for practice before they engage in the official assessment. Students appreciate the sense that I care about their success, and they often “buy in” to learning more readily. They know there is a safety net in place, so they are willing to take more academic risks necessary to their overall learning and success.

Post-Assessment

After an assessment, a survey can help me understand how students feel about the results and how they plan to continue their learning. I can also provide an opportunity for students to explain their misunderstandings so that they feel heard. These surveys may include questions such as these:

• How well did the assessment match up with what you expected?
• What surprised you about this assessment or your results?
• What is one area that went well for you on the assessment?
• What is one area you would like to improve in the future?
• Are there any topics you would like to review with me? Do you need reteaching? I am here to help!

This kind of survey is particularly powerful because it can shape future instruction. According to student responses, I design interventions to support students who are struggling and extensions for students who feel they have mastered the material. Survey results also offer insight into where students need support as it relates to a particular concept or skill. Using survey data to drive future instruction and assessments tells students that content absorption is about more than a grade, and that you care about their learning and future success.

Quick Classroom Climate Check

Use a simple survey to “take the temperature” of the room and find out if things are going on that you aren’t noticing. When I conduct this type of survey, I am often surprised at what is revealed. This is tremendously helpful to make sure all students feel safe and secure so that they are able to engage and achieve at the highest level possible.

• At this point in the school year, how are you feeling in our class?
• What aspects of our class do you find most helpful?
• Is anything happening in class that distracts or limits you?

In my experience, classroom climate surveys send students one clear message: “I care about you.” When unseen conflicts surface through a classroom climate survey, I can swiftly engage students in relationship repair and restorative conversations. I remind students that we are a community with one mission: to learn and grow as much as we can before moving on to the next step in our lives.

In order to unlock the power of this practice, I must review student responses carefully and follow up accordingly. All data, including qualitative data, is only as good as its use. Google Forms can easily create a spreadsheet with student responses for quick interpretation. The tool can also offer visual summaries of students’ responses to identify common areas of confidence or misunderstanding among students. Student perspectives matter, and surveys can give you an easy peek into their minds to help them feel seen.