3 Ways to Build Rapport with Students

3 Ways to Build Rapport with Students:

3 Simple Classroom Strategies

Many people don’t understand how important it is to build rapport with students, but it is truly one of the first things that requires attention when your students arrive in the classroom. It is important for people everywhere to feel important. Sometimes we forget that our students are people too, with those same needs. Building rapport with students helps create a classroom environment where students feel seen, valued, respected, and ready to learn. 

Learning your students helps to build rapport because it lets your students know that you see them and that you care enough to consider them. Whether you are a new teacher or a veteran educator, learning how to build rapport can make a meaningful difference in your classroom relationships. We’re going to learn three ways to help build rapport with students right here.

I can remember my first teaching assignment. It was at a private school. I don’t think I even had an ice breaker, and if I did, there was no intentional rapport building. I went directly into teaching. To make a long story short, situations did not go as smoothly as they could have. And we know those things can happen even after attempts at building rapport. We just want to be sure that all things on our side, The Teacher’s Side, are done.

1. Let Them Talk

So, first we want to give opportunities for students to share about themselves. An activity like this gives students a voice in the classroom, and a reason to feel proud to be listened to. Giving students opportunities to talk about their interests, experiences, and ideas is a simple way to build rapport and strengthen teacher-student relationships. And another important factor about an activity like this is that there is no right or wrong answer.

2. Listen and Learn

The second way to build rapport is listening to your students. When they talk, truly bend your ear to understand what they are sharing and learn all that you can from them. When teachers listen to their students and learn, it shows the students that they are important to you – they are important enough to matter in your life. Active listening is one of the most effective ways of building rapport because students recognize when their teachers genuinely care about what they have to say.

3. Let Them Choose

Lastly, empower your kiddos. Let them know that they are important enough and smart enough to have some control over their learning by having the opportunity to choose how they learn. Giving students choices can help build rapport by showing them that you trust their abilities and value their individual learning preferences.

Teachers craft the content of the lesson, for sure, but allow students to select the activity half of the time (as choosing for every lesson is not always doable). But even small choices such as selecting a partner, choosing between two activities, or deciding how to demonstrate learning can help students feel more invested in the classroom.

Using these three rapport-building techniques will get you the foothold on the students’ kindness and respect that all teachers deserve. More importantly, these strategies can help you build stronger connections with students and create a classroom where they feel comfortable, respected, and supported.

Building rapport takes time, but small, consistent actions like these can make a big difference in how students connect with you and engage in learning.

Share how these rapport-building techniques work for you in your classroom this year.