Building Rapport - Notes-Ideas

What to remember… “You never get a second chance to make a first impression”
 You convey your role as a teacher by your dress, demeanor, behavior, and words on the first
days and weeks of class.
 Building rapport does not mean building friendships. Your students are not your friends!
Obstacles to building Rapport:
• Unclear grading/expectations and inconsistent procedures
• Taking away/damaging a students’ individuality and identity
• Too little involvement of students in class activities/Too much “teacher talk”
• Subject matter over personal knowledge (??)
“Say what you mean and mean what you say”
-- Make sure every conversation sets a positive tone
--Each interaction you have with a student is an opportunity to build or destroy a relationship.
--The brief interactions you have with students before class, and in the halls have a big impact on how
the students feel about you.
--Your overall attitude toward your students really matters- They are very perceptive!
Disclosure of your “personal side”?
• Yes! Your students are curious about you. Sharing some basic information (“role-model” appropriate)
about yourself can go a long way to set your students at ease and make you more approachable.
• Make sure when you share information, that you do it in a way that fits your “style”.
“The Nature of Rapport and Its Nonverbal Correlates” article by Linda Tickle-Degnen and Robert
Rosenthal [Psychological Inquiry, 4(1990): 285-293] says the three ways to build rapport with students are:
 Mutual attentiveness, Positivity, and Coordination.
(Definitions of can be located at http://www.jstor.org/stable/1449345?seq=2)

"Continuous public relations work":
Show you care about the students as individuals: address them by their preferred names in a warm,
friendly, respectful manner and with a smile.
Firm and Fair, but Friendly: Teachers have to be firm with students, but also get them on your side.
Simply being tough is not going to get them to want to learn. The greater they want to learn from you,
the more they will!
Respect given is respect earned: give them respect from you and builds self-esteem.
Expectations and Procedures
There have to be rules!
One of the ways you can build rapport in your classroom is to have clear expectations for students so
that they know how to be successful in your room.
Allow them to read over the school rules and then brainstorm about how they see those rules playing
out in your classroom.
Discipline:
Confrontational situations are lose/lose.
We tend to take issues too literally and fall into the trap of saying "Don't you dare say that to me!"
Rarely is it personally against you, really they saying, "I'm having a bad day."
The teacher must work with the student to find out why. Don't react to what the student said; instead
see it in its broader context. Ask "What's the problem?" and diffuse the situation.
The main thing is to be consistent; don't let problems pass.
Carrot vs. Stick: Too often we focus on failure instead of success

“First Day and First Class Procedures”
(a suggested procedure to start building rapport with your students)
Contrary to popular belief, teachers who develop a good rapport with their students do not do so by
“natural ability”. Developing positive working relationships with students takes strategic planning.
Set the proper foundation for building rapport:

1. Perform tasks, such as establishing rules, with your students to create a class community.
2. Present yourself with a stern yet caring demeanor.
3. Most importantly, clearly communicate your Expectations to your students from the very
beginning of class. Review these at the beginning of class every day of the first week and then do it at
least weekly.
FIRST DAY, FIRST CLASS:

Meet and Greet:
Greet students at the door and take attendance before they enter the classroom. (This simple step
allows you to put a name and face together and makes sure they are in the proper classroom).
Establish Expectations & Class Rules

Conveying your expectations and involving your students in the development of class rules initiates their
critical thinking process and gives students the sense that the class is more of a community. All of which
is significant in creating a productive learning environment.
Immediately after introducing yourself, develop your class rules. This is a three step process:
Step 1:
Provide the KFU Syllabus and PYP Policies. (are there PYP rules and consequences for cell phone etc?)
 Give a brief overview of the course calendar and the course units
 Review the PYP Policies and how you will be enforcing them in your room
Step 2:
Provide some (3-5) essential "Expectations" that are based on what you require in your classroom.
These can include things such as:
 Arrive on time and prepared for class.
 Be involved, attentive, and on-task.
 Follow directions the first time they are given.
 Respect others as well as class materials.
Step 3 (good in-class writing assignment for day one?- collect for assessing writing levels)
After communicating your Expectations, elicit the students’ views and opinions by posing questions:
 Why are you here? (What is your purpose for taking this class? Why do you need to learn
English?)
 What is necessary in order for you to accomplish your goals?
 What did your previous teachers do/not do that helped you?
Student responses are documented and shared. Use their answers to expand on the “PYP Policies” and
develop your own Class Rules*. *You must also explain how you will enforce these rules in your class.
Other areas that need to be addressed within the first day of class:
 Giving students a list of materials that will be needed daily (binder, pens, pencils, folders, etc.)
 Your contact information and office hours.

Areas that need to be addressed within the first few days of class:
 Class Procedures:
o Why do you write the objectives and vocabulary on the board?
o How “Class Participation” points are awarded
o What are they to do if they arrive late to class?
o How do they get materials they missed if absent/late?
o What is the seating arrangement?
o Are you available during class “break” for questions?
o If/When do you collect homework?
o
 Communicating the methods that will be used to assess their work (i.e. rubrics).
 Grade reporting on Moodle (When will you be updating it- daily or weekly?)


Important Tip: In order to address multiple learning styles, all expectations should be conveyed verbally,
in writing, and visually.

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What to remember… “You never get a second chance to make a first impression”

Obstacles to building Rapport:

• Unclear grading/expectations and inconsistent procedures

• Taking away/damaging a students’ individuality and identity

• Too little involvement of students in class activities/Too much “teacher talk”

• Subject matter over personal knowledge (??)

“Say what you mean and mean what you say”

-- Make sure every conversation sets a positive tone

Disclosure of your “personal side”?

 Mutual attentiveness, Positivity, and Coordination.

(Definitions of can be located at http://www.jstor.org/stable/1449345?seq=2)

Expectations and Procedures

There have to be rules!

Confrontational situations are lose/lose.

The main thing is to be consistent; don't let problems pass.

Carrot vs. Stick: Too often we focus on failure instead of success

Set the proper foundation for building rapport:

FIRST DAY, FIRST CLASS:

Establish Expectations & Class Rules

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