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Building rapport is the art of developing mutual trust, respect, and friendship with another person. For a teacher, there are several benefits of building rapport with your students in the classroom which translate to hard work, motivation, and success.

It Makes the Job Fun!

Positive working environments make our days more enjoyable. If you can find ways to connect with your students on a personal level, you are well on your way to building a strong rapport with them. Some actionable ideas would be to ask them what their favourite sports team is, what band they like, and then try your best to remember those details. If you struggle to remember details for many students, you could have them answer a survey on their hobbies and use the answers creatively so that they are readily available and easy to refer to. For a student, realising that your teacher cares about you as a person and as a student, is one way to make the teacher–student dynamic a positive and impactful one.

It Makes the Job Easier

Teachers who have built a strong rapport with their students may become easier to teach because they have developed a sense of respect for one another. During times of discipline or behaviour management in the classroom, you may find that your students are more understanding, because they know you have their best interests in mind.

It Has Academic Benefits

Building positive classroom relationships has so many benefits. From the sense of belonging at school, motivation to work hard and student participation, there are countless reasons for teachers to invest in their rapport with their students throughout the year at school. Classroom rapport is not about being nice all the time, it is about building mutual respect with your students. When there is mutual respect, and a positive classroom atmosphere, there is a greater chance that your student will succeed.