maintaining student rapport
as with any relationship specific people skills must be developed in order to sustain the instructor student relationship.
Students need to see that we are with them for more than a job and paycheck. We need to show them that we care about them as people and are concerned about there well-being, goals and aspirations. We need to build a rapport with them to let them know we are here to help them in any way we can. Not just with academics, but in all ways that may affect the learning process.
Joseph,
This is a great position to be in. With the respect of your students along with developing rapport with them you have created a valuable learning environment that can be appreciated by everyone.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Well said. Maintaining a good rapport with the student is critical. it allows the student to see the instructor as a human not as a robot dishing out meaningless information. The trust level goes up and the student believes in what you are saying.
Alex,
Yes, we do and this is a responsibility that cannot be taken lightly. We impact lives and as a result we owe to our students and our professional the best judgement we can give when supporting our students. Helping our students to see us as learning leaders will demonstrate to them how they themselves can develop themselves and achieve the career goals they have set.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I would say that the "human side" is the foundational ingredient to all human activities: business, sports, education, play, etc. No matter how enjoyable or challenging or difficult a situation is the human element always makes it better and also more worthwhile. The need for the human element in education is even more important because students' minds and emotions are balanced on the fence between disappointment and failure, and success and self esteem. We as teachers affect which way they move off of that fence and the human element will definitely help to move them towards success and satisfaction.
Sharika,
I am always surprised when I learn that our students don't realize we have lives outside of our classrooms and that we are real human beings. We have many of the same experiences as do they so we can understand what they are going through and relate to the challenges they have as they take their classes.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Students need to see thst we are human and not just teachers, people and not just employees. Once we share that with them, we get a better response from them. They pay more attenion. They feel we actually know and have experience as a real person and a professional.
Michael,
This is the human side of being an instructor. We need to bring this side to each class so we can not only share content but also the human aspect of our field and our interaction with our students.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
