Building Relationships

Throughout my many years of teaching, I’ve taught a range of grade levels, subjects, and students. But I have discovered that the most crucial part of teaching is building relationships with my students. Making connections with students; getting to know them as people and guiding and supporting them as they succeed and fail academically, socially, and emotionally is in my opinion, the best and most important part of being a teacher. It fills me with joy and gratitude. It’s also the key deciding factor to the extent of which they succeed.

The following is a list that I use to build positive relationships with my students.

1. Give a warm greeting and goodbyes
2. Laugh together
3. Listen
4. Validate feelings
5. Encourage effort
6. Let the child take the lead
7. Share personal stories
8. Give eye contact
9. Appreciate their uniqueness
10. Foster their multiple Intelligence strengths
11. Feed them
12. Model kindness and forgiveness
13. Model and accept respect
14. Play games together
15. Read to them
16. Be honest and authentic
17. Provide structure and boundaries

Being a teacher allows me to be an influencer of learning, a trusting confidant, a caring adult, and a person who believes in each child’s uniqueness. I am the lucky one.

Nancy Walker

Blue Band Educator (3rd-5th grade) and lover of children