Speaker 1: How to build rapport with students. Rapport is the creation of trust and understanding in the classroom. If students see you as a leader who has their best interest at heart and makes an effort to foster an understanding relationship with them, they are more likely to participate in class, be less likely to cause disruptive behavior, and improve student engagement. But with teachers already being so burdened with taxing schedules and bulging classes, how can you establish and nurture rapport with every student? In today's video, I will share 10 ways for teachers to create rapport inside their classrooms. Before I do, I quickly want to talk about Preply. Preply is an online platform that allows language teachers to find learners. If you want to earn money online, why not teach a language on Preply? Preply allows you to set your own price, create your own schedule, and make money from anywhere in the world. You can also grow professionally by attending free webinars and gain access to the Preply Tutor Academy where you can upgrade your skills. You will also be connected with hundreds of thousands of students. Preply tutors have taught over 15 million lessons to students from every country around the world. So, how do you start? Click on the link below and complete your registration. Add your details, record an engaging intro video, and get ready to start teaching. Once you've been accepted, teach from anywhere in the world at your own set price. Get connected with students or at your own, conduct lessons, and start making money. Now, back to 10 ways to build rapport with your students. Get to know your students. If you ever search how to build rapport, the first answer you will likely get will be remember your students' names. That's all good and well, but you can do so much more. When first starting class, draw a seating chart with students' names. Not only will it help you remember their names faster, but they will also see you as an authority figure because you are making decisions early. Use their names, often during class, and on the seating chart, find out and write down extra information about them. Before every lesson, as students come into class, I make a point of asking students something about themselves. What they are busy with these days, any special events that week, what's their hobby, what they got up to last weekend, what their plans are for the next. Whenever I find out something interesting, I make a note of it on the seating chart. Then, I check up on them later. So, Sarah, how did that game go last week? Steven, I see you got a new haircut. Taking an interest and following up with students make them feel like you care, and other students will also be more likely to open up if they see that you are making an effort. Share things about them. From having these conversations and getting to know your students, try to share things about them with the rest of class. Share stories that place them as the hero. You know how it feels when someone talks positively about you, and even better, shares experiences that put you in a positive light in front of their peers. When I was young, there was a worry of attacks in the classroom in South Africa. Our teacher had to talk about safety, since parents in the community were worried. He said, if a teacher threw something into the classroom, I want you to dive behind your desks, just like Eric does on the cricket field when running in between wickets. You know, I still remember that to this day. So, share stories about your students, ones that build them up, definitely not ones that embarrass them. Accept. Humor. A fun class that students enjoy being in will create much better rapport than one that's stale with zero percent humor. You can make silly jokes, share funny stories, and tease students a bit, but only to a degree. You never want to use sarcasm to hurt. Use teasing sparingly, and only with students that you've already built a sense of familiarity and rapport with. Showing students your humor and making jokes will allow them to relax, enjoy class, and get to know you better. But you never, never want to be a clown as entertainment. Don't sell your soul for a cheap joke. I would take a serious, non-smiling teacher any day of the week over a teacher that does it purely to be liked. So, tell the occasional joke to liven the mood. Let your students be part of the experience, and they will feel a sense of familiarity with you. But let me repeat, rapport can only come with mutual trust and respect. That brings me to trust. I constantly remind my students that my class is a criticism-free environment. I don't mind them making mistakes, because that's how they learn, and how I can help them. In my class, we are always respectful to our teacher and peers. Laugh at yourself when you make a mistake. Sometimes, I make an obvious mistake when teaching, like a common spelling, comprehension, or grammar error. At first, no one will call you out because they don't have the confidence to correct their teacher. Although, if you have some strong characters, they might. But, if you don't, realize your mistake, and tell them to let you know if you make a mistake in the future. That way, they will see you as a human being, and that it's okay to be imperfect. Making mistakes is part of learning. That will also teach them that independent thinking is important in the classroom, as it is outside. Body language. Speaking of trust, students cannot trust a teacher with weak body language. This is something you actively need to work on, if you want to build greater rapport with your students. Stand up straight when speaking, relax your shoulders, and maintain solid eye contact. When speaking, scan from left to right, keeping eye contact with a student for a couple of seconds, before moving on. Only someone with confidence in themselves, as an individual, would do this, and it inspires confidence in you, from your learners. Also, be mindful of your position in relation to them. I avoid standing over my students. I crouch down, or pull a chair closer, when I'm speaking one-on-one, or to a small group. Do not be afraid to move around class, and get close to your students. It shows confidence, and students are more likely to engage with a teacher that they know is unafraid, and in control of their class. Voice. Add variety to your vocal tonality, and cadence. It adds richness to your communication. Speak at a constant speed. Speed up, slow down. Add pauses. A little louder, a slight whisper. By not speaking in a monotonous tone, students will be hanging on your every word. Sometimes, with shyer, more distant learners, I use a higher pitch, so they feel safe, and to convey more authority, I deepen my voice. Remember, these things alone won't drastically improve your rapport with students, but the consideration of these ideas will help you consciously work on improving your engagement in social interactions. Rapport can only grow through mutual trust. Students are less likely to trust an adult with weak body language. The three F's. Fair, firm, fun. Make the effort to understand your students. What are their backgrounds, and what are they going through? How can you, as a teacher, consider these things, and relate their learning, and your classroom approach to them? To improve rapport with students, they need to know that you are trying to understand them. To empathize with their situation. That can be the background, or relevant age of the learners. If you are teaching kindergarten, imagine what they are going through. That everything is new. They are learning about the world, and they need a safe environment. They also need rules, boundaries, and structures to understand, and anticipate what their day will be like. They cannot sit still for too long, so create activities that engage, and help them show their personalities. They cannot explain themselves well, so you need art projects for them to show, and then praise them for it. Your elementary and middle school students are trying to find their place in their group of peers. Where do they fit in socially? You want to give them a space to show who they are, without alienating shy students from their classmates. Allow them to share their lives from a group perspective. Teens already know which groups they fit into. Now you want to give them a voice to share their personalities. Adults need to share their lives, hopes, and dreams for the future. Nobody asks adults how they feel, or to share their opinions. We need that human contact. That teacher that focuses on topics, content, and activities that allow us to share who we are. Once you make the effort to understand your students, they will reciprocate by making an effort in your class. The yes ladder. In business, salesmen don't start with the big pitch immediately. They build up to it with smaller asks, until you are ready to buy. They call this the yes ladder. We can apply the same principle in class. When students enter class, they might not be in a state to immediately answer questions, or be receptive to sharing anything about themselves. So we've got to slowly get them into it. As soon as they enter, say hello. They say hello back. Then ask them how they're doing. You'll usually get I'm fine, or more likely, I'm tired. Now ask them to share a bit more. What was their previous class, or what did you have for lunch? A one-word answer. You don't need to do this with every student. I see them as a whole entity at this point, where they feed off of the group energy. Now, lay the groundwork for them. Hi everyone. What will you do for fun this coming weekend? Write the question on the board, and give an example answer. Now ask your friend the question. Once they are done, get them to share their friend's answer. After this, students are warmed up, and will more readily participate during the lesson. Because they are so comfortable sharing things in class, subconsciously they will feel a better sense of rapport with you. Like there must be a special reason why they feel so free in your classes. Surprise them. Often students don't feel heard, like they are just another number. At home, they might not get enough attention, and then act out at school in different ways to get it. You can break that trend by making them feel special. Notice anything different about them. If you see them outside of class, take a minute to have a chat with them. If you notice something wrong with the student, ask them to see you four minutes after class, or give them a great big compliment on something they did well. It's such a special feeling to see a student's face light up. A big part of building rapport is showing that you are more than just a teacher to them. Make an effort to engage them outside of the classroom. Go attend a sports match or play. I remember feeling so proud when a teacher came to check up on us at one of the chess tournaments we had over weekends. Nobody outside of the chess team even knew what we were doing. That support really made us feel respected and cared about. See how you can do something special and make your students feel important. Be honest. Building rapport means that we are being friendly to our students and trying to get them to share more about themselves, but never prioritize being liked as a friend over being their teacher. A common mistake I often see is when a teacher tries to be liked more than anything and thereby losing respect and failing as an educator. Be honest with your students. If their performance isn't good enough, tell them. Give them guidelines on how to improve and what you want them to do. If the class misbehaves, tell them off. You are not their friend. You have standards. Rapport can only happen when there is mutual respect, so expect it from your students. Building rapport is one of the most important things you can do for your students as a teacher.