A Novel Way for Teachers to Get to Know Students

            “Positive student-teacher relationships are the foundation of meaningful school experiences,” say Carolyn Sattin-Bajaj, Lupita Romo-Gonzalez, and Damhee Dee Dee Hong (University of California/Santa Barbara) in this Elementary School Journal article. They describe how a small predominantly Mexican-American school district in California gave families in grades 4-6 a Fujimax Polaroid camera, film for 20 photographs, a small photo album, step-by-step instructions on how to use the camera, and information on the ethics of taking pictures and getting permission from subjects. Students were asked to take photos of their lives outside of school, including family members and how they spent their time, and consider sharing albums with their teachers and talking them through the photos. 

            Students were enthusiastic about the project; for many, it was the first time they had taken physical, non-digital photos. They appreciated being able to decide what to photograph and who would be allowed to see their albums. Kids snapped photos of family members, friends, stuffed animals, snow globes, gems from Mexico, computer games, piggy banks, decorations, religious artifacts, decorations for Muslim holidays, pets, favorite foods, books, and themselves as they engaged in various activities.

            “With 20 photographs to capture their lives,” say the authors, “the students in our study had to make choices about what to include and what to leave out. Although many students disliked the limitations on the number of photographs they could take and named people, places, or things that were missing from their albums, by and large, they felt well represented by the photographs they took.” In interviews, students said they loved the opportunity to do a show-and-tell for teachers about their homes, families, interests, and culture. One sixth grader had photos showing his interest in paleontology and hoped his teacher would make a curriculum connection. 

            “Educators and school leaders can take these results as a starting point from which to design and launch their own context-specific initiatives,” say the authors, “– using photographs, videos, drawings, or other means of personal expression – to increase teacher understanding of students in ways that center student agency.” 

“Building Classroom Relationships Through Photovoice” by Carolyn Sattin-Bajaj, Lupita Romo-Gonzalez, and Damhee Dee Dee Hong in Elementary School Journal, June 2025 (Vol. 125, #4, pp. 675-700); Sattin-Bajaj can be reached at carolynsattin-bajaj@ucsb.edu.

Please Note: This summary is reprinted with permission from issue #1095 of The Marshall Memo, an excellent resource for educators.