how to build rapport
​By Rachel Dalton

A critical component of student achievement is the relationship between teachers and students, otherwise known as rapport. Students need to feel safe and supported in order to take the risks associated with higher level learning and skill development. They also need to feel connected to their teachers.   

Definition                    
In Rapport-Building: Creating Positive Emotional Contexts for Enhancing Teaching and Learning William Buskist and Bryan K. Saville describe rapport:
  • the extent to which students accept the teachers’ goals
  • the teacher's ability to care genuinely for students and to nurture their learning
  • the student and teacher "connecting" emotionally
  • students' motivation to participate actively in their education

Strategies for Building Rapport
So how does a teacher develop rapport? It is a multi-faceted process and requires consistent and purposeful interactions with students. The foundation of good rapport is acknowledging every student’s individual identity and individual learning needs. Students will open up to teachers who demonstrate care for them and their learning, and this starts by getting to know your students and encouraging them to share their authentic selves.

Get to Know Your Students
  • Student questionnaires (see "Resources" below)
  • Ice-breaker activities (see "Resources" below)

Use Conscious, Deliberate Body Language
  • Smile.
  • Make eye contact, especially when working with students one-on-one.
  • Get down to their level, instead of leaning over a student’s shoulder, sit or squat next to them so you can communicate eye to eye.
  • Move around the room, being physically proximal to students will encourage them to ask for support and it communicates your expectation of engagement.
  • Be dynamic with your voice and your gestures, demonstrating your involvement and your effort.

Develop Trust
  • Talk explicitly about trust and that you will ask them to take risks in order to grow.
  • Offer choices. It shows that you trust students to make their own decisions and take charge of their own development.
  • Be honest about your mistakes and encourage them to learn from their own mistakes.
  • Share laughs, have fun! Laughter releases neurotransmitters that reduce stress and make us more open to learning.

Warning: Don’t try to win your students’ approval. It will erode respect for you. While rapport requires friendly, personal interactions, you are not developing friendships. Your care for your students is focused on what they need to meet their learning goals and should be kept professional at all times. And good rapport is not a substitute for good teaching strategies and classroom management. Being disorganized, unclear, having low expectations and wasting instructional time can damage students’ respect for you and, by extension, your rapport with them.

RESOURCES

https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/relationship-building/ 
​This article has several useful ideas for ice-breaker activities "that don't suck," student questionnaires, and ideas for engaging students in identifying what they need out of your class.
​https://www.schoolonwheels.org/pdfs/3121/Learning-Styles.pdf
A printable questionnaire to help students think about how they learn and to help you get to know them better. 
Scholar Questionnaire
A lot of the questionnaires you find online include questions that are too personal for our incarcerated students. Click on "Scholar Questionnaire" to find one that you can safely use with students in-custody.
Community Building Circles
Positive rapport with your students can be developed as a group as well, resulting in a cohesive and supportive learning environment that will foster student achievement. Try these community-building circles that have been tested and approved by Five Keys teachers in a variety of settings, from the book Circle Forward by Carolyn Boyes-Watson and Kay Pranis.