Relationship Building

“Just one relationship with a caregiver throughout a lifespan can actually change the brain’s development, heal trauma, and promote learning. ... We could do so much more if educators were equipped with the skills and self-awareness to systematically do this work.”

Marcus, M., FuelEd

Relationship-building in the classroom cannot be over-emphasized. If students are to learn, to grow, to achieve, to behave appropriately, or to succeed, they must have positive, healthy relationships in their schools and classrooms. They must feel safe and respected and "seen" by their peers and their teachers. There is a great deal of research involving the importance of positive relationships in school. An overview of this research is outlined below:

Positive relationships build motivation
Positive relationships create safe spaces for learning
Positive relationships build new pathways for learning
Positive relationships improve student behavior

Kaufman, T., Understood.com

Research (National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments) demonstrates that students who feel connected to school,

have better attendance
have better grades and test scores
stay in school longer
are less likely to engage in risky behavior

A preponderance of research (Rimm-Kaufman & Sandilos, APA, 2015) has demonstrated that positive teacher-student relationships have been shown to:

support students' adjustment to school,
contribute to their social skills,
promote academic performance and
foster students' resiliency in academic performance

Connectedness

We understand that when students have a sense of connectedness and belonging in school, they are much more likely to learn and succeed. Some strategies that teachers can employ to increase student connectedness include:

Include students in classroom decision-making and management
Provide opportunities for communication with and involvement of parents in the school and classroom community
Provide opportunities for students to build interpersonal and social skills including problem solving, conflict resolution, self control, communication, and decision-making.
Communicate clear expectations for learning and behavior to foster a positive learning environment
Use a variety of teaching methods such as discussion questions, extra readings, and group projects to foster critical and reflective thinking, problem solving skills, and the capacity to work effectively with others.

School Connectedness, cdc.gov

LEARN MORE

Some Relationship-Building Strategies

Greet Students at the Door

Meet and greet your students at the door at the beginning of each period. Start with a positive greeting, a compliment, or a question.

Learn and Use their Names

Learn student names, what they wish to be called, and how to pronounce them properly. Use them often (when greeting students, when calling them in class, when giving positive feedback).

Find Something to Comment On

Make students feel "seen" by commenting on a haircut or a letter jacket or something specific. Ask how their game went yesterday or tell them you missed them when they were absent.

Show Interest in their Interests

Ask students questions about their interests. Ask them to tell you about things you don't know: "Tell me about anime," or "Wow. I see the pictures you draw. What are you interested in?" or "What kind of music do you like? What do you like about it?"

Attend Student Events

Find out what your students are involved in at school. Make a point of attending games, club meetings, recitals, performances, ... Compliment your students on their work and accomplishments.

Make One-on-One Time

Provide opportunities to meet with students one-on-one. Offer tutoring, office hours, once-a-week lunch bunch... Get to know students individually -- and not just when there are problems!

Have a Sense of Humor

Don't be afraid to laugh! Have some fun in your classroom. Make fun of yourself and approach struggles with a sense of humor.

Share Your Stories

Share something about your life, your past, your school days, your family, your animals. Tell students about your experiences, your interests, your favorite things. Connect with their interests when appropriate.

Praise Publically, Correct Privately

Find opportunities to praise students, specifically and individually. "Wow, Marco, you did a great job on this," or "Thank you, Luz, for sharing your work here," or "I really like the way Jermaine is listening to his group members." Put in the effort with traditionally unengaged or disruptive students to "catch them" doing something positive!