Building Trust Between Teacher And Student
As an educator, it helps to establish trust with your students. When students trust you, they get
the confidence to experiment in a safe environment as you, the teacher, assist and motivate
them. Through appropriate and constructive feedback, and guidance, you can reduce classroom
disruptions, improve engagement and makes classes less stressful. Here are some ways to
build trust with students, win their support and create a healthy learning environment.
Student Voice
Asking the ​right questions​ allows you to discover student interests and motivation. Listening to
their feedback and acknowledging or addressing it is equally important. Using their suggestions
for assignment topics or in other ways shows that you care for their ideas and value them. Let
their voice be heard by co-constructing rules and procedures. Make them feel like they have a
say in the class.
As an active listener, students will reveal thoughts, emotions and motivations to you without
even realising it. Keep track of this information (data collection) and use it to help them learn
better. If a situation were to arise, previous positive interactions can help manage a student’s
behaviour better.
Create a Connection
Let students know that you understand and empathize with them. Acknowledge their feelings
and, in turn, let them know when your feelings are hurt. Some students might take time to trust
you. In cases such as these, remain patient, earn their trust and get to know them.
Some students may have insecurities or low self esteem. For these students, it is important to
make them feel accepted and understood. Be cautious while offering criticism and ensure that
they are not humiliated or lose dignity. Make corrections in as inconspicuous a manner to
facilitate more genuine interactions.
Modelling
Building teacher-student relationships is a two-way street. Taking small steps, like sharing
information that matters to you, goes a long way to strengthening bonds. You could also support
their opinion so others can see their merits or recognise events and important dates to show
you care for and remember them. You could also join students in activities outside the
classroom to encourage a feeling of community.
Even if you aren’t having the best day, try not to let personal matters interfere with your
teaching. Students pick up cues from you so if you are positive and passionate about a lesson,
they will respond with enthusiasm.
Establish Trust
Your students need to know that everyone in the classroom is respected and can communicate
openly. Establish trust by being ​consistent​, sharing examples and demonstrating how trust
could be earned.
Place trust in your students and show them that you think they are responsible. If they are not
able to complete a task, convey that they are capable enough to do it on their own. Some
students might require extra attention and effort. Communicate with them and their parents
more frequently, even if it is not inside the classroom.
Conclusion
When students realize that their teacher genuinely cares about them, it leads to a happier and
more creative classroom. It is less stressful, and overall, a win-win situation for teachers and
students.
A strong relationship is built up over repetitive daily interactions and its foundation lies in
structure, warmth and setting expectations. Earning the trust and goodwill of a student will
require consistent effort on your part. However, if you set a foundation of trust early on, it can
affect their behaviour and your relationship for the rest of the year.
How do you build teacher-student relationships? Share your thoughts in the comments
below.
Rachna Dargan is an English Teacher at Lycée Français de Toronto. You can contact her on
rachnadargan@gmail.com