Developing student rapport in teaching is very important in my program and courses because we are teaching them to become health care providers and to develop trusting relationships with their clients. There is no better example than to treat each student in the class with the same concern, respect and caring that you would with any client. I like to be a role model for them.
For the students to be open and participate in class they have to feel valued and respected not only by me but also safe in the environment where their opinions and ideas are treated as sincere and valuable. When they feel valued and respected it is easier to take that premise into the relationships they start to develop.
I also like to let students know that I am an imperfect human being. I may know a lot but I do not know everything and I am always open to learning. I have a high level of curiosity and I encourage them to develop their curiosity also.
Development of rapport is very important in teaching. There is more pull by the instructor if the students understand the teacher. A teacher who has displayed an interest in a student, is empathetic, is motivating, uses various forms of teaching is heard better than a teacher who does not have any interest in teaching. By building a rapport, the teacher and student interactions are better and the students are not afraid to ask relevant questions. Learning is better if the teacher and the student are on the same platform, and this platform can be made by building rapport.
Development of student rapport is very important in teaching as it sets the tone for a good learning relationship between the students and the instructor by enhancing trust and respect among them.
Every student wants to feel that their instructor cares. Developing a rapport builds trust and understanding between instructor and student. This will help keep the student motivated to finish the program.
Anthony,
How to you establish rapport with your students?
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Kay,
I agree and have seen it in operation. When mutual respect exists then a foundation has been laid for learning and growth.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Pixie,
I agree. Respect and rapport are two very valuable components of successful teaching. They serve as a foundation from which we can operate for the duration of the course.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Annette,
This human factor of sharing that we are all in this together is very important in keeping students in class and focused on success. We are all former students ourselves and sometimes our students need to be reminded of that.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
if you dont have a good rapport with a student they will never listen/trust your words no matter how smart you may seem
Students perform better when there is mutual respect between students and instructors. When students know that instructors care, they will want to be at school and perform well.
I find that building a rapport with students creates a trusting environment for the students. I have found that they are more open to you and your teaching methods if they trust you. If you have rapport with the students, I believe that your class will go much smoother than if you did not have it established.
I completely agree with this statement. I try to make my students feel more comfortable with subjects that are harder to comprehend by reminding them that we are all human. I tell them I still make mistakes to this day, after being in the field for more than a decade. I let them know that I am here for their support.
Roberto,
I agree. Respect needs to earned by the students and the instructor. Respect is the foundation for the development of rapport and this is an essential component of the learning process.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Rapport is important for the students, they need to feel respected by the teacher and viceversa, sometimes telling them personal stories will make them feel comfortable in the classroom.
Ed,
You make a good point about the need to walk the line and maintain a supportive and professionalism role with the students. This is a key part of being the learning leader.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Developing a strong rapport both establishes boundaries and opens doors. I believe the creation of mutual respect can come from making personal connections with your students but I have also seen instructors who have allowed their role to become too casual which can potentially lead to favoritism and a lack of professionalism in speech and interaction, Though, if the line is walked well enough, it could also have potential for students to be more open about external issues that may be affecting their course work.
I could not have said it any better than you, Kyle! Thank you!!!!
Mabelle Joy,
I like this quote a lot. I think reflects how we are to approach the classroom and center our attention on students. The results are engaged students and effective instruction.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Establishing student rapport is very important because this is the initial phase of the teacher-student professional but caring relationship. Similar to nurse-patient relationship, we need to develop rapport to establish trust so that working towards a common goal will be smoother. I believe in the quotation which says "The way to the students' mind is through their hearts".
Vincent,
Good strategy. You are putting yourself in the same situation as they so you have insight on what delivery strategies will most engage them. This increases the effectiveness of instruction and enables student growth to occur.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
