Establishing relationships may be a potent and less expensive strategy to increase students’ success, according to University of Missouri researchers. School policymakers frequently look at class size, curriculum, and financing when kids are underachieving. According to a study of the literature, students who have strong relationships with their teachers and schools tend to do better on standardized tests and earn higher grades.
Relationships are best fostered in smaller groups. The best chance for individualized help and attention comes through one-on-one encounters, although some people and students also benefit from working in bigger groups.
Activities that are centered on students’ interests or objectives are the most successful.
The best strategy to deal with persistent absences from class is to get to know your classmates and become their mentor.
If they believe their teacher is invested in their success, students are more motivated to show up for class. Additionally, by raising student involvement, these connections can raise academic performance.
Unexcused absences are associated with failing grades, particularly in arithmetic, even in primary school.
Teacher-student connections can prevent struggling students from falling behind and bridge the achievement gap in school by inspiring students to study hard and skip fewer classes. It’s one of the most durable ways a teacher can influence students’ academic accomplishment and professional success.
The ability to relate to your students on a personal level might increase their intrinsic motivation to learn. Students that are engaged in their coursework for the sake of mastering it grow to love learning, which will help them throughout their entire lives. Additionally, they are more likely to view their instructors, classes, and lessons favorably. [8] Students are on the road to a successful academic career when they place less emphasis on grades and more on mastery.
Last but not least, these connections may even be related to your social-emotional learning (SEL) program. Children can acquire self-regulation abilities, particularly autonomy and self-determination, with the aid of strong teacher-student relationships. [9] Students will be able to accomplish their personal and academic objectives as they learn how to assess and control their behavior. [10] And this can diminish over time. Positive interactions with pupils, however, can lower this figure and demonstrate to instructors how their profession transforms lives.
Every day, say hello and goodbye to each pupil.
Share a laugh with your students.
Offer students a range of options.
Accepting mistakes made by kids in the classroom.
Accurately and rapidly learn names. Students, particularly those who are disenfranchised, feel invisible in our schools far too frequently. By swiftly memorizing and correctly pronouncing student names, you can respect their diversity and sense of identity. Use nicknames only if students like them; never give a student a nickname as this deprives them of the identity that is associated with their name. I need my pupils to make name tents on the first day of class each year and correctly pronounce their names in front of me. I often work on my pronunciation of their names. Every class session, I pick up the name tents and distribute them until I know the names of every student. Before class, I say “hello” to each of my pupils at the door by name.
There is never a wrong age for show-and-tell in class. Allowing kids to bring in items that are representative of them, their culture, or an activity they enjoy doing at the start of the year can help them feel like more than just another student. Up until you’ve given everyone in the class the chance, schedule five to ten minutes per day for a few students to present what they brought to class. Students have brought in newborn photos of themselves, swimming goggles used for their competitive swim team, and trinkets from a family vacation to my classrooms. Hannah, one of my students, once brought her ukulele to class and sang a song. My students thoroughly enjoyed the party-like atmosphere she created for show-and-tell.
Post student artwork and photos. Sharing student work is a skill that elementary teachers excel at, but middle and high school teachers frequently overlook this crucial procedure because they believe it is unneeded for older pupils. I’ve discovered that you still need to express your appreciation for older students’ work. I take a photo of my pupils when they participate in show-and-tell, for instance. These images are then printed and displayed in class on a year-round bulletin board. Because they are aware that their growth and development extend beyond the physical to include the intellectual and emotional, students like observing how they have changed throughout the course of the year.
Additionally, when their outstanding work, such as individual math projects and group effort on math assignments, is showcased and honored, students are extremely proud.
Allocate seats and rotate them frequently. Although middle school kids don’t always get along, when given the chance to collaborate, they learn more about one another and find methods to get along despite their differences. In my middle school math class, pupils are seated at tables. I place them at tables of three or four students apiece, and once a week they switch places using a random seat changer that is integrated into our attendance tracking software. The pupils respond to a brief question, such as “Who would you love to have dinner with and why,” following each modification. Earlier they spent a week working together on math problems, to get to know the folks at their table.
Look for little ways to connect. On Mondays or just after a break, we frequently have circle time in my first-period class. We circulate a ball while standing in a circle. The individual holding the ball speaks positively about another member of the group, reveals what they did over the weekend or break, or expresses how they are feeling right now and why. A student once took part in goat yoga over the weekend in honor of a friend’s birthday. Her photos of goats in yoga class walking on their backs piqued everyone’s interest. My pupils usually remind me to do circle time on Mondays if I forget. They also consistently demand that I share. Although it may seem like every minute is essential to finish the academic material, I’ve discovered that giving my students five minutes once a week to get to know one another is invaluable and improves the culture in my classroom.
Listen only. Although I’ve seen that taking the time to engage in light conversation with kids can assist remove barriers to learning, teachers frequently feel as though they must maintain a professional distance from them. Some of my students will share anecdotes about their lives with me in the five minutes between lectures because I’ve made myself approachable. I pause what I’m doing, meet their eyes, and pay attention. These interactions usually leave me with a bit more understanding about who they are as people, and I adore seeing their eyes light up when they tell me these stories.
Every student deserves to be surrounded by adults in their schools who genuinely care about them and go out of their way to create supportive connections that give them the freedom to make mistakes and grow. Our students must feel that we care about them if we want them to learn with us. In order to create a community in which they may develop as learners together, they also need opportunities to get to know one another.
Making pupils feel appreciated and valued is one of the best ways teachers can engage with them. Students can move mountains if they believe their teachers have their best interests in mind, are confident in their talents, and care about them.
Strong teacher-student connections boost students’ academic performance, foster teamwork and prosocial conduct, and may even influence whether or not they decide to continue in school and graduate.
While some kids are more difficult to reach than others, these individuals frequently gain the most from a supportive teacher-student relationship.
Here are five methods to aid you in forging closer bonds with all of your pupils:
Let students know you care.
Consider a mentor you have had in your life and the influence they have had on your success. There’s a good chance that this person gave you the impression that they care about you and think you can succeed.
Building deep bonds with kids and laying the groundwork for mutual respect, trust, and cooperation are both dependent on demonstrating your concern for them.
Here are a few quick strategies to connect with your pupils personally:
List your students and assign a level of familiarity to each one. Make it a point to find out more information about the pupils who placed last on your list.
Each learner desires to feel heard and seen. Throughout the week, spend a few minutes paying close attention to each student. To demonstrate your interest in the lives of the students, listen to them and make inquiries.
Create frequent morning gatherings so that students have a place to talk about their lives away from school. Students’ needs to belong, feel appreciated, and have fun are satisfied during morning meetings, which also help to create a positive atmosphere for the rest of the day.
Think about your pupils’ viewpoints.
The value of instilling empathy in students is something we discuss frequently. To better comprehend your students’ experiences, put your teaching into practice and try to put yourself in their position. This will enable you to better meet their needs by addressing the underlying causes of problems and problematic behavior.
When assisting a pupil, try posing these queries to yourself:
What is this student’s experience like in the classroom?
How frequently does the learner get constructive or unfavorable feedback?
Do they feel that you are concerned about them?
What impression do you believe the student has of you?
What factors or events outside the classroom affect a student’s conduct and actions?
Use this activity to enhance your pupils’ learning. Take a step back and try to fix a student’s conduct or performance in a more constructive way, for instance, if they are getting an excessive amount of negative feedback. You might also try directly asking the student about their preferences for or objections to the classroom, instructors, and learning environment. Find a point of agreement so that you may create a relationship that is founded on respect and trust for both parties.
Gain each other’s trust.
Any partnership needs to have mutual trust. Educators frequently need to take the initiative in developing trust with students. Here are a few strategies for doing that:
Tell us a little about yourself. Telling kids about your life outside of school might help them perceive you as a real person, and they can feel more appreciated because you opened up. You don’t have to go too personal, but it can help them see you as a real person.
Give kids as many opportunities to choose as you can. This could be in their assignments, how they display particular abilities or expertise, how they establish ground rules for the class, etc.
Ask kids about the difficulties and struggles they experience, then work with them to find solutions or lessen those issues. For instance, you may provide more one-on-one assistance, point them in the direction of necessary programs (like tutoring or free school lunches), or link them up with counselors and social workers.
Always speak out for your students and act in their best interests. This could entail working with other educators to develop interventions like restorative justice circles or simply attending a disciplinary meeting to express support.
Employ constructive punishment.
Contrary to popular belief, disciplining students can be a chance to improve ties with them. Teachers should spend more time educating students on the importance of appropriate punishments for breaking the law and the reasons behind the establishment of rules. You may create a predictable, stable, and fair atmosphere where students are treated with respect and are aware of what is expected of them by establishing clear rules and penalties.
Here are some pointers for using constructive punishment:
Be considerate. The relationship you have with a student can suffer if you lose your temper and respond angrily, sarcastically, or with fury. Instead, take a deep breath, impose an appropriate punishment, and communicate in a way that upholds the student’s dignity.
Include the class in the process of developing rules and outlining the penalties for breaking them. This will support the idea that students are accountable for their decisions and hold them to account.
Give each pupil a personal moment. Individualized attention is frequently beneficial for adolescents who suffer with behavioral problems. A kid may not feel pressured to perform for other pupils when you have your entire attention, and they will typically open up and speak more honestly.
Be cognizant of equity while using punishment and corrective action. According to research, students of color experience disciplinary action much more frequently. Take action to lessen unconscious bias and guarantee that each student is treated equally. Here is a simple guide on getting started in this process.
Meet the families of the students.
Knowing parents or other caregivers promotes efficient communication and can be especially beneficial for students who require additional support. Your efforts can demonstrate to pupils that you have a genuine interest in their lives outside of school.
You can improve your relationship with your pupils’ parents by following these suggestions:
In the initial weeks of the school year, make it a mission to contact every family. Ask the parent or caregiver about their children and if there is anything you should know that will help them achieve before introducing yourself, sharing a positive assessment about their student, and asking about their family.
Learn about the cultures and traditions of your pupils. Simple questionnaires or assignments asking kids to share about their families can be sent home with them. Talk to your pupils about the uniqueness of each family and the value of embracing variety and inclusiveness.
To let your parents know what you are working on in class and any topics you are focusing on, send home a weekly or monthly newsletter.
If a student is experiencing something that needs to be addressed, ask the parent to let you know. You can speak with the student, provide assistance, and put the student in touch with outside resources if something at home is upsetting them.
One of the most lasting impressions you can leave on pupils as a teacher is the way you make them feel. Students are more inclined to participate, work hard, and collaborate when they believe their teachers care about them and want what’s best for them.
It’s also true that students who have poor relationships with their teachers perform worse academically, are more likely to engage in disruptive behavior, and may even decide to drop out of school.
Utilize these techniques to enhance your interactions with your students and their educational experiences. Contact us using the form below to learn more about how SEL programs foster healthy relationships that improve student achievement.
Many teachers experience pressure to cover material and do a variety of other job-related tasks. However, I’ve discovered that spending time early and frequently getting to know our students—by making modest adjustments in our classroom—creates a setting where they are inspired to succeed. Here are six tactics I employ to foster stronger bonds with my pupils.
