Establishing Genuine Relationships With Your Students

It really doesn’t matter how great your rules are, how specific they are, or how you’ve chosen to implement them. If you don’t have genuine relationships established with your students, it will make your year a lot harder. Establishing genuine relationships with your students will be KEY to having a successful year!

Often times, the time we have each day with our students is spent teaching and making sure lessons get covered. It’s spent making sure that students needs are met, and parents are communicated with. I personally feel that a great part of students needs is building a relationship with them.

I remember when I first moved to South Carolina from New Jersey. My fifth graders would always ask me, “Ms. Cook, who do you like better, Clemson or Gamecocks?” In my head I’m thinking, “who cares.” But because I wanted to build those relationships, I would ask them, “well who do you like?” They would tell me what team they were cheering for, and I would always reply, “Well that’s who I’m pulling for!”

It’s funny because the more of an interested I took in them, the more of an interest they took in me and what I was teaching. They wanted to make sure they were making me proud. It was surprising to see that even 5th graders were interested in me as a person. Their interest came because I was genuinely interested in them as a person.

Show Up!

I can’t tell you how many basketball, baseball, football, gymnastic, and birthday parties I’ve gone to for my students. I remember one year my third grade student invited me to his church to hear him preach one Sunday. The look on his face when I came through the door was as if the Lord himself were holding my hand. Showing a genuine interest in what our students love and enjoy helps to build those vital relationships.

Even if a student doesn’t invite you to an event take time to figure out what they like. What are your students genuinely interested in and what they are good at? Once you’ve figured that out, talk to them about it; this builds that genuine relationship as well. This past year I had a student who was super shy. This student really didn’t talk in class and could always be found drawing. One day I walked by and saw what I deemed to be a true masterpiece. I remember giving her a pat on the back and telling her how amazing this piece of art work was. I also told her how talented she was and to never stop drawing! Now mind you, this was a conversation in passing but was truly coming from my heart.

Well towards the end of the school year, this student wrote me a letter telling me that I was her favorite teacher. She had never had a teacher compliment her drawing and really wanted to become an artist when she grew up. In her letter she used the actual words that I had used to encourage her creativity and artistry. Finding something to be able to connect with your students also builds that bond.

I Just Don’t Have Time

Do I attend all the games and recitals? NO. I’ll be honest. There are times in which I am just so busy with life that I don’t really have time. I don’t want to carve out that time. BUT, I do try to attend at least one event that a student has invited me to. I do this because I know that this is going to help our relationship.

9 Ways to Build Genuine Relationships With Your Students

These are some great ways to genuinely establish relationships with your students!