This document provides tips for building positive student-teacher relationships. It recommends that teachers (1) believe that all students can succeed by holding high standards and providing support, (2) get to know students through questionnaires or journals, and (3) greet each student by name with eye contact and a smile every day. It also suggests (4) incorporating humor when possible, (5) providing students with choice in assignments, and (6) accepting students and their mistakes as part of the learning process. The overall goal is to foster an environment where students feel comfortable, cared for, and connected to their teacher in order to facilitate learning.
Key strategies to foster positive relationships include believing in student success, getting to know them, greetings, humor, choice, and accepting mistakes.
1. Believe thatall students
can succeed.
Your beliefs about your students will
subconsciously affect how you treat each child in
your classroom.
Hold them to high standards, but support them
along the way. Scaffold your lessons.
Provide extra help as needed.
3.
2. Get toknow your
students.
A “Getting to Know You” questionnaire at the
beginning of the year is helpful. Other strategies
include talking to your students at the beginning
and/or end of class, or having students keep a
journal that you regularly read and respond to.
4.
3. Say helloand goodbye to
every student, every day.
However, it’s not important how you greet your
students. What matters is that you take the
moment to be fully present and attuned with
every child. Make eye contact, smile, and use
their name. In these seemingly small moments,
relationships are built.
5.
4. Laugh withyour
students.
Although humor shouldn’t be a priority in
the classroom, you should work it in
whenever possible. Through shared
laughter, you’ll easily foster positive
relationships with your students.
6.
5. Provide studentswith
choice.
As often as you can, provide flexibility and
choice in assignments.
The more you provide students with
choice and autonomy, the more they’ll see
that you value them as individuals.
7.
6. Accept students–andtheir
mistakes in the classroom.
•Accept all students, despite their quirks and differences. Treat all
students with the same respect and kindness, and don’t allow
students to tease or disrespect one another in your classroom.
•When you struggle to remain patient, remember that the children
who need your love the most often show it in the most destructive
ways.
In addition, accept that mistakes are a natural part of learning, and
instill this belief in your students.
8.
“When students don’tfeel comfortable or
cared for in the classroom, learning
becomes difficult. On the other hand, if a
student feels connected to their teacher,
they’re likely to flourish”