Teaching is the art of imparting knowledge and making students learn by experience. There are so many teachers who understand this, and yet, so many who do not. For example, there are teachers whose lectures in class constantly centre around themselves; there are also those who do not ask their students questions – they go on and on, boring the entire class. Your students will lose interest and attention if you are one of these teachers! It is important to implement techniques on how to create rapport in the classroom.
Building this special rapport gives your students the confidence to ask questions, adds value to your class, and encourages everybody to stay focused on their work. Most importantly, it gives your students the courage to ‘confront’ you and share their opinions. And isn’t this exactly what teachers are preparing students for? They have to go out in the world and reveal their true beliefs with boldness. This is what proves that you are a good teacher.
Tip #1: The sandwich method
I call this technique ‘sandwich method’ because there are three steps to it. When giving students feedback, we have to be gentle, but also honest, if we want them to stop making the same mistakes again. So what is the best way to deliver it? The sandwich method of constructive criticism. You start with a very positive remark, go on to the honest comment, and end with a positive remark. The pieces of bread represent the good remarks, while the ham or cheese (if vegetarian) represents the critique.
For instance, let’s imagine one of your students makes the same writing mistakes over and over again. He writes ‘their’ instead of ‘there’. When you give him feedback, you can start with something like this: ‘You did great writing this whole interesting paper by yourself, but I’ve noticed that you are mixing up “their” and “there”. I am so proud to have such a smart student in my class!’
Tip #2: Be yourself
Not everyone is made for teaching and there is no point in sticking to what you don’t like. In other job fields, your frustration would probably be unnoticeable for the people around you, teaching is not part of that field. Students can see if you don’t like teaching. You know why? Because you are constantly trying to be somebody else.
The key to successful teaching is staying true to who you are and living by your values. The best teacher does not fake smiles or gets tired of teaching. The best teacher enjoys interacting with her students and loves strong connections, which she develops constantly. The best teacher is a person who is not afraid of putting herself in an uncomfortable situation. She is so proud of her willingness to share everything with her students that she won’t stop being herself.
Tip #3: Find your students’ interests
If you are interested in connecting with students, you should probably get to know them better. Create activities that help you understand their hobbies and passions, and use them to bring students closer to you. For instance, take them out for a film and talk about it after. Analyse what they liked and what they didn’t, and listen to their opinions on the action. What did they think about the characters? To whom do they identify the most and why?
Tip #4: Attend extracurricular events
Sometimes, our students invite us to different activities outside of class. This is a big step towards a great student-teacher rapport, and also a great way to make learning more meaningful to them. If you have the necessary time, don’t hesitate to go. It’s not ‘weird’, ‘odd’, or ‘unusual’.
Families play a big role in how students react at school; include them in your teaching strategy.
Tip #5: Respect
Respectful teacher-student relationships are just as important to middle and high school students as they are to elementary students. Positive relationships encourage students’ motivation and engagement in learning. An important form of respect in the classroom could be saying ‘hi’ or ‘bye’ every time someone leaves the class. If you’re leaving first, you have to say ‘goodbye’ first. If it’s them, they have to. It makes students feel like their presence is essential in class. This detail, although small, will establish a better connection with your dear students.
Tip #6: Everyday life lessons
Having intelligent discussions and teaching them students is great but do not forget about life. Teaching your students’ life lessons through different activities is extremely valuable. It develops their emotional intelligence, which is extremely important. You can set up morning meetings for people to share their feelings on different matters. At the end of each day, you can make them highlight the most important actions they have taken. Stay sincere and make them honest with their feelings as well.
Tip #7: Be playful inside the classroom
Students can be playful, so if we want them to learn something, we have to play their games. I am not saying play hide and seek in the playground – I am talking about asking random facts or telling funny stories to them. Even making up a fun game can be a good idea.
Imagination is essential when we talk with children. Make them tell you the most interesting hero stories they know, and ask them if there is anything they would change about those stories. If the answer is yes, ask them to draw that change for you; or, if older, make them write a composition about it. If they make mistakes when writing, never punish them. Use the sandwich method and offer them constructive criticism. Be playful like a child in the classroom, while of course, keeping the duties of a teacher.
Tip #8: You can’t read minds
When you don’t understand a certain student’s behaviour, ask – never assume. This is a very common mistake teachers make, and it is wrong. Assuming your students ‘slam their books on their desks because they are angry at you’, or ‘didn’t do their homework because they played video games’ is very harmful to your relationship with them.
Always ask them why they react a certain way, and keep an open mind to understand their problems. If they have serious issues (maybe family-related), make sure you take action.
Tip #9: Connect with their families
Families play a crucial role in how students react at school. So include them in your teaching strategy. Why not throw a barbecue at your house and invite all of your students. Ask them to bring their families so that you can meet them. This is a great way to bond with the people ‘behind the curtains’ and understand where certain behaviours in your students come from.
Takeaway
Creating rapport inside the classroom is essential in being a teacher. It is not enough to master your subject – You have to master your emotions and open yourself in front of your students. You have to keep an open mind and never be afraid of losing. Your students’ confidence in themselves and yourself comes from acceptance, broad-mindedness, and interest. These feelings might be one-sided at first, but as time goes by, your students will start getting more involved.
