Why is it important to maintain positive relationships in the classroom?
When you started in education you probably had a pie in the sky idea of how wonderful your experience was going to be. Your classroom was a harmonious environment where the students loved to come and learn. The students were nothing short of little cherubs and you maintain positive relationships with all of them!
Then you started and reality set in. Those cherubs have another side. They talk back, stare at you when you give them directions and have less than kind things to say to their classmates. What happened??? This was nothing like what you pictured!
It quickly became clear how many papers you had to grade. The time it takes to do all of those meetings during your prep. The abundance of needs your students have. How are you supposed to do all of this in one day?
Developing and maintaining positive relationships with your students can make a huge impact. The research is showing that students respond better to adults they have positive relationships with. You have seen those students that do nothing in any class except for one. In that class, they have a positive relationship with their teacher.
How do we develop positive relationships with students?
Developing positive relationships with students is essential to your peace of mind and your students’ learning. Some students make it easy to develop relationships with them. Those are the students that walk up to you every day and want to tell you everything. You have things in common with them and the conversations flow easily.
Other students can be more challenging. Those are the students that need the relationships the most! Great them by name when you see them in the hallway or when they walk into your room. You might be the only person in their life that talks to them. It is hard to believe that could be true.
Communication is key! Ask them questions. How was your weekend? What is your favorite movie? Tell me about your favorite food. What is your favorite book? Take notice of what they do when you have free time in class. Do they play chess, do they watch youtube videos, or do they have a favorite game they like?
Consider having lunch groups. Select a small group of students to eat lunch in your room. Turn on a movie, play a game, or simply talk to them. Make them feel special. They will appreciate the time and attention you are giving them even if they don’t show it.
How to maintain positive relationships throughout the class.
It is one thing to create and maintain positive relationships with your students. It is equally important to develop positive relationships throughout your entire class. Create an environment in which your students can communicate with one another.
Take 5 minutes at the beginning of class to communicate with one another. Make a theme for each day. Try Motivational Monday, Think about it Tuesday, or Fun Fact Friday.
Keep this time consistent every week. Students will begin looking forward to it. Give them an opportunity to share a motivational quote on Monday. You could also share a quote or video and then discuss it with the class. Fun Fact Friday is a great way to get to know students’ interests. What fun facts do they share with the class? The last time I did Fun Fact Friday the students were excited to share their fun facts.
When you are ready to take it even further use The Mind Trek SEL Program in your class. It specifically teaches students how to develop and maintain positive relationships through lessons on empathy, communication, and conflict resolution. Going through these social and emotional lessons students begin to develop relationships with their classmates and teachers. Over time they look forward to this time in class. Everyone wants to be heard, especially students!
Try it Today!
Ready to give The Mind Trek SEL Program a try in your classroom? Check out these free sample lessons!
Want to learn even more? Listen to our podcast SEL Unfiltered.
