A primary objective teachers have for getting to know their students is to learn their names in order to call on them in class and be able to tell each student apart. Learning the students' names may take several days, but is a vital activity teachers often make time to do. Teachers often use name games to this, or may use other methods as well.
Teachers often get to know students by learning their interests. There are many times where students are encouraged to be creative in school by doing or learning about things they are interested in. Teachers can learn who students are by learning what interests them. A teacher can find out those students who enjoy reading or those who are athletes. Learning the things that interest the students can help teachers know the students more personally.
Another important objective in getting to know students is learning their academic levels. This is especially important in elementary school grades because teachers must adjust teaching styles and speed of learning to match the students' academic levels. It is often hard for teachers to find the correct pace of students, especially if the teacher does not know where the students are academically. This objective is often discovered through testing of the students.
When a teacher knows her students, she can help encourage them to get to know each other as well. When students become friends, the students may feel a higher sense of belonging in the classroom. This can encourage students to try harder and may lead to more success in the students. Teachers can group students who have similar interests for various projects, or can group students with opposite interests to encourage students to appreciate diversity.