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| Building rapport with your students |
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| Author : Karen Boyes- Spectrum Education
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A survey of 124,000 students in 315 schools, conducted by Robert Bills, showed that the 'first and most critical recommendation was that the quality of relationships at school must be improved'.
Building rapport with your students should be your primary focus. When the teacher-student relationships are strong, content is easier to teach and learn. Think about some of your best teachers when you were at school. Isn't it true that they built strong relationships and had excellent rapport?
Below is a list of ways to build strong teacher-student relationships.
1. Love and Respect Yourself:
When you care and respect yourself, students sense this and it helps to build strong foundations. This means being clear on your values and living them. It also means making sure your actions and words are congruent. That is, when you say you'll do something - you do it. When you show this kind of respect for yourself, it automatically rubs off on to others.
2. Learn About Your Students:
Show a genuine interest in their lives, their hobbies, sport, family, likes and dislikes. Find out what's important to them and respect it.
3. Appreciate Your Students:
Take time to understand the challenges and pressures your students face. Understand what makes them tick, why they do what they do. Be aware of peer, academic and home pressure.
4. Acknowledge Your Students:
Take time to positively affirm each student every day. Thank them for coming to class. Thank them for the little and big things they do. Let them know they are special. Give verbal praise, write notes, give hugs, smiles and warm gestures.
5. Make Small Concessions:
Do small things that make your students feel special - play their music while doing an activity, let them go from class one minute early, or give no homework over a holiday weekend.
6. Include and Empower Your Students:
Ask them what they think and value their input. Allow students to help in decision making and give them choice about what they can participate in and how to complete tasks.
. Respect Your Students:
Always honour their decisions and never use put downs or sarcasm. Enforce rules and give appropriate responsibilities.
8. Be Open With Students:
Let your students know who you are. Share your thoughts, ideas, challenges and past experiences with them. Let them know you are real. Tell them if you are happy, sad, frustrated, anxious or excited.
Building strong teacher-student relationships isn't something that just happens at the beginning of the year - it is an ongoing practice. Make every interaction with your students count towards getting to know and understand them better.
�'Your success as an educator is more dependent on positive, caring, trustworthy relationships than on any skill, idea, tip or tool on effective teaching strategies� �Eric Jenson
References:
Creating an Effective Learning Environment -Karen
Boyes
Super Teaching -Eric Jensen
The Education Conveyor Belt -Michael Grinder
This article came from Education TODAY Issue 3 2002 Term 2
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