Building Relationships with Students
Strong teacher-student relationships are the foundation of effective classroom management and student success. Here are some concrete tools and strategies for getting to know your students, connecting with them authentically, and building the trust that makes everything else possible. These relationship-building approaches work across all grade levels and help create a classroom community where students feel seen and valued.
Getting to Know Students Toolkit
Interest Surveys
Name: ________________ Preferred name/nickname: ________________
What I love to do outside school: ________________
My favorite subject: ________________ Why: ________________
Something that makes me proud: ________________
My biggest worry about this class: ________________
How I learn best: ________________
Something I want my teacher to know: ________________
Relationship Building Activities
Two Truths and a Lie (First week)
- Students share, teacher guesses
- Teacher models vulnerability
- Creates talking points for later
Birthday Celebrations
- Simple acknowledgments
- Class birthday calendar
- Special privileges on birthday
Weekly Check-Ins
- How was your week? (1-10 scale)
- What’s one thing going well?
- What’s one challenge?
- How can I help?
Individual Connection Strategies
The 2×10 Strategy
- Spend 2 minutes for 10 consecutive days talking with a challenging student about their interests
- Focus on non-academic topics
- Listen more than you speak
- Notice changes in classroom behavior
Connection Opportunities
- Greet students at the door
- Attend student events when possible
- Remember and ask about things they’ve shared
- Share appropriate personal stories
- Write encouraging notes
