One of the ingredients to successful teaching is building rapport with your students. Students are motivated to learn in subjects which they like the teacher. A healthy and happy relationship between you and your students will help create an environment conducive for learning.
In fact, being enchanting, according to Guy Kawasaki’s book, Enchantment: The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds, and Actions, is critical to success in life overall.
Students learn what they care about, from people they care about and who, they know, care about them.
Barbara Carson
Here are 8 easy ways to establish rapport with your students.
- Call them by their names. Hearing one’s name is music to the ears so get to know your students early in the school year and memorize their names asap.
- Another way to establish rapport with your students is to share appropriate personal information with them. Share to them your likes and dislikes, your favorites and little tidbits about your life. But don’t be an open book. Leave a shroud of mystery.
- Next, you can establish rapport with them by finding something to like about every student. There is something good in every child even though his or her behavior can overwhelm this good side. By finding the good, you will find it easier to build rapport with them
- Get to know their interests and hobbies. In fact, you can use this knowledge to engage them during your classes. By seeing them as persons with their own unique interests and hobbies, you can establish a better rapport with them. It’s a bonus if you share common interests and hobbies.
- Show genuine concern for them. Ask them what happened if they are absent, late or are encountering stress in school or outside. Treat them as actual human beings and you’ll be able to connect to them better.
- Refer back to their previous works and contributions. Whenever possible, compliment them by sharing their good works and contributions to the rest of the class. This boosts their self esteem and they’ll be appreciative of your gesture.
- Another way to build rapport with them is to always return their work on time. This involves giving effective feedback about their work. Good and timely feedback shows that you care about their academic performance.
- Finally, be a good role model. Try to participate in the activities you give your students. Think and brainstorm with them and share your ideas. By doing this, you show that the work you assign is meaningful and worth the effort.
I hope these tips can help you build better rapport with your students.
What strategies have you found to be most effective in your experience? Share them in the comments below 
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