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Establishing RapportWhy is it so important to establish a rapport with one?s students? When I think back to when I was in school, there were always one or two teachers that stood out from the rest, a couple of teachers that compelled me to listen and learn more than I did in other lessons teaching the same subject but with a different teacher. Why was this I asked myself, what did they have that some others did not? Obviously some teachers will have a more engaging personality than others, But that wasn?t really the big difference as I remember. The difference was that these teachers, who were more interesting, had established a rapport with their class, talking to us on a more informal level. This did not mean that they dropped discipline in the classroom, far from it. As I recall they were quite disciplinarian when needed. These teachers new all the student?s names in the class, and had a relationship with each member of the class. The teachers would take a genuine interest in our lives inside and outside of the classroom. We felt that if we had a problem with a lesson point that we could approach these teachers without hesitation, and get a simple solution. These teachers were also approachable and showed genuine interest with problems outside of the classroom too. This easy rapport with the teacher immediately put us at ease in the lesson, and indeed we looked forward to the lesson instead of moaning about it. I?m sure that everyone who has had an education has a similar story to tell. These teachers, who make the effort to establish a good rapport with their students, are etched into our memories for life and have taken a positive part in shaping people?s perceptions of teachers. Being remembered by someone for life because you took the time and effort to have a good rapport with your student is quite mind- blowing really! It is important! Establishing a rapport with one?s students will give them so much more confidence in the classroom. It can be a scary place, especially for young learners who maybe haven?t been at school very long. The teacher can look intimidating stood at the front of the classroom. Having a good rapport with the class enables the teacher to find the strengths and weaknesses of individual students. The teacher will know who gets on with who and can arrange the seating accordingly. Encouraging students to have a good rapport with each other is also good practice and will aid the teacher with the student?s learning process. If the students get on well with each other they will be happy to help each other with problems when they arise. A problem shared is a problem halved as they say. They will also enjoy and participate in activities a lot more if they have a good rapport with each other. The teacher is looking for a relaxed atmosphere in the classroom and this will then encourage the students to interact with each other and the teacher comfortably. Any teacher who does not take the time and effort to establish a rapport with his/her students will always be an inferior one and will probably not be remembered by the student, or if so it will probably be for the wrong reasons.
