Communication in Class

Why rapport is important

Well, We all know that if a kid doesn’t like the teacher, he stops learning or if a kid trusts his teacher, he starts to do something for the lesson. Parents also know that sometimes their kids misbehave because they think their parents ignore them. So every act in a class or at home can be a hint for the teacher or the parent to evaluate themselves and change certain things.

Rapport is defined as ‘a good understanding of someone and an ability to communicate well with them’ (Cambridge Dictionary online). Communication is a mutual thing. If we move one step further, the other person will need to move too. If we move 2 steps further, he will at least move one step towards us.

As a teacher or a parent, we should find ways to build rapport or establish good communication with the kids.

This shouldn’t mean getting approval or being liked or becoming the most popular teacher in the school. You can be cool, trendy but the relationship between you and your students can be so artificial. A good relationship between you and your students can be the result of certain things which were done to gain confidence. If the student understands the teacher cares for him, he surely will try to change himself.

How to establish good relationship with your students:

First impressions are important. Even at a workshop, seminar or a performance, we always remember the beginning and the ending. Thus, from the first day you meet your students everything you do counts.

We can keep the following in mind before we prepare ourselves for our classes:

• Explain yourself. Let them know they will have limits- if they know your rules, they will play the game according to the rules.

• Encourage your students. Motivate and support them when needed.

• Praise them -even we need praise and we feel unhappy when we don’t get it.

• Be prepared and well-planned (they see the difference very well)

• Be enthusiastic about teaching- enthusiasm is infectious,

• Respect them, listen to them- if they understand you regard them as a human-being, they will feel they are also important.

• Make eye-contact and learn their names from the very first day of the class.

• Bring the world to the classroom.

None of this is a formula. Some days I get all of it right and the class still feels flat. Some days I forget half of it and something still clicks anyway. But over thirty years, this much has stayed true: when students feel seen, they try harder.

I’m not a teacher, only a fellow traveller of whom you asked the way. I pointed ahead, ahead of myself as well as you.
— George Bernard Shaw