There is always that student that drives you insane. They NEED something all of the time or are constantly hijacking the space they are in. In reality, those are the students that need a relationship with you. It isn’t always easy but building relationships with students can positively impact your classroom.
Benefits of Building Relationships
Student Engagement. Students are more likely to be engaged in your classroom or with you when they have a relationship with you. Even if they hate your class they are motivated to work because they want to please you.
Attendance. When students feel like someone cares about them or someone will miss them are more likely to attend school. If they feel that no one cares about them then they have little motivation to come to school. In their minds, no one will notice that they are not present.
Behavior. Students that have a relationship with you are much more likely to listen when you correct them. You might get a small grumble but they will do what you say. A student with no relationship with you sees your correction as you picking on them because you don’t like them. Building relationships with students also helps you get less frustrated with their behavior.
It’s the right thing to do. Plain and simple it is the right thing to do. Who wants to go to school every day and be in a place where no one cares about you. Not me! It isn’t always easy but your students need you. Dig deep and find those reasons you went to school to work in education. My guess was to make an impact on young minds.
How to Build Relationships?
Get to know your students. Act interested in what your students are doing. Play a get to know you game or have them fill out a get to know you questionnaire. Learn about their families and their stories.
Relationships are a two-way street. Share some of your life with them. Let your students know appropriate things about yourself. Do you have a family or a pet? What is your favorite color, favorite TV show, or favorite activity?
Find common ground. What is something that you have in common with your students? Do share a love for pizza? Have a favorite sports team in common? Perhaps you both love dogs.
Greet students. Greet students in the hallway or as they are walking into your class. Use their name. Ask them about their weekend. Give them a compliment.
You might be the only person in their corner. Despite how frustrating students can be remember you are their advocate. They know when you don’t like them and they will inevitably hear when you are talking about them. Be their Champion!
If you need inspiration watch the TED Talk by Rita Pierson called Every kid needs a champion.
