If students don't trust and build a rapport with their instructors, it is very difficult to get information from them in their learning. I've encountered many students who don't have a good rapport with instructors at first and have a fear of letting them know that they don't quite understand what's being taught. In this case, the student struggles for something that could have been prevented through good communication and understanding with the instructor.
It makes the student feel relaxed, that they are part of the class and respected as a human.
The teacher must strive to develop a rapport with his/her students in order to be an effective communicator. The students look up to the teacher; it is a special position and as such, the teacher must work to bring the students in to his or her sphere of knowledge. The teacher not only has a leadership position in the classroom but also holds a position of trust. Reaching out to the students through respect and enthusiam helps the teacher develop a rapport with the students and they will trust the teacher and be more open to accepting and receiving the learning.
In order to properly engage the class, the instructor must command respect (both ways) and show trust and understanding for their students' positions in their views and stages of lives.
Each student has his/her own way of connecting to the class and/or instructor. If you do not make that connection you may loose that student. Comfortability is also an important factor in the class
mutual respect is the best starting point for an effective course.
Developing rapport with the student is important in teaching because it helps the student to feel more comfortable. Students are highly stressed for numerous reasons at the beginning of every course. It is up to the instructor to develop a rapport that enables the student to relax. Once they are more relaxed, they can focus on and learn the material.
Treating students as though they are important does go a long way. Over weeks, a connection of mutual respect does build and ideally it continues even after the course. Often I receive requests from students to provide academic reference for employment. This would not occur unless the student did feel this connection.
Hi Steven,
Right you are about the need for two way respect and rapport development. We need to start the development of both from the very first day class.
Gary
Developing a student rapport gives the student that ability to not only trust the instructor but also respect the instructor. The instructor also shows the same for the student. The student normally does not feel as if they are secluded and have no way to talk to the instructor when they are struggling in the course.
It is important to understand a how life experiences have effected your students dicissions to enter a program, and no matter what type of backgrounds people come from you can always find some type of common ground to build on!
Hi Robin,
How to you go about establishing rapport with your students?
Thanks in advance for your response.
Gary
the student gains respect and value.
Hi Troy,
Right you are. When an instructor says "I don't know but I will have the answer for you when we meet again." a connection and promise is being made with the students. They know the instructor is going to work at finding the answer and then bring that answer to them. This really impresses them because the see an instructor that cares that they know the answers and is willing to work at finding them.
Gary
To establish Trust and mutual respect in learning. This lesson acknowledged that it is OK for the instructor to say, “I don’t knowâ€. To establish this trust and mutual respect in learning, the instructor might want to reply, “I don’t know, but I will find the answer to that question and report back to you tomorrowâ€. The next day in class, you will not believe the response from the student(s) when the instructor gives an answer to a question that was asked the previous day.
Building rapport with students enables instructors to establish an important connection with them. This critical connection leads to the development of other important characteristics like trust and collaboration. When students know that they are a priority in the eyes of instructors, they are free to excel to their fullest potential!
Hi Scott,
The key element is that you try to establish rapport with every student. This means you are providing interaction, conversation and support to every student you have. This is an important part of being a teacher. If the students does not respond that it is up to that individual but you know you have fulfilled your professional responsibility in reaching out.
Gary
My class almost always consists of cohort groups that progress through the school together. I only have them for three weeks, so it is important that I establish I rapport quickly. This is very important; I feel that if I have some sort of connection with each student, I can more effectively get my point across. Admittedly, some students are easier to connect with than others, but I really try to create a rapport with each student. It can be particularly frustrating when a student has little interest in my subject (pastry). In these cases, I try to tie in the basic skills were learning with those of the savory kitchen.
Hi Margaret,
Yes, we are. You make a good point because we wear many hats during a teaching day. This is what makes teaching so much fun yet wears us out at the end of the day or night depending on when we teach.
Gary
The students often view you as human, and while still viewing you as the disciplinarian, their guard is down. Ideally for me, when their guard is down they are able to open up more and know that they have a support system besides friends and family.
