Teach English in Wangqingtuo Zhen - Tianjin

Establishing rapportEstablishing rapport with the students is a very sensitive subject for me, as it is basically what I have spent my year doing in the school where I am currently working. Establishing rapport can take a long time. Although, I consider it to be one of the most important aspects of teaching. Some teachers may be gifted in the art of building relationships. But all teachers, gifted or not, can adopt approaches which will be of crucial help during lessons. Other qualities will indeniably help, such as being charismatic and having a good sense of humor. Students need to know that the teacher cares a minimum for them. It is important to know every student's name and to mention it when addressing them. Students needn't a teacher who is too rigid, or academic, as this can be a bareer which will prevent them from building effective rapport. On the contrary, a teacher should better act very humanly. Being human in a class involves showing attention, being sensitive, understanding, tolerant, kind and patient, among other qualities. The teacher's role is also to make all his/her possible so that students get along well. For this he/she needs to find common points between them and help them build a relation on these. The exchange of ideas must be promoted as much as possible in order to make the interaction richer. Teachers shouldn't be reluctant to share their own views and experiences on a topic, as long as they respect the students' ones. The use of the book should be as limited as possible. The teacher would just pick up some ideas from it and incorporate them in the lesson. What's really interesting isn't in the book, but out there in the classroom. Being ready to do some extra work, being available before and after the lesson, being chatty, giving some good advice even on daily life topics are factors which can dramatically help a teacher improve his/her rapport with his/her students. Exchanging emails can sometimes contribute to a better exchange of information. Another approach which proves particularly efficient is to adapt our teaching to the students' words. As an example, when teaching to young students who, for some reasons adore street culture, it can be pertinent to show them that we can also use their jargon. This can contribute to making ourselves more approachable. In fact I have made the experience of it in the school where I am currently working. Students need to be respected and treated as responsible individuals and they deserve it. Younger students, especially teenagers, are searching for models to get inspiration from, or at least someone who's had a solid experience of life and is willing to share it with them. The teacher needs to imagin what it is to be in their position. He/She should then try to create a bridge between their world and that of adults. If a teacher has had a rich life experience, it can be very beneficial for both him/her and students. Also, it will undoubtedly be easier for him/her to gain respect in the classroom. A good way to establish rapport with students is to be relax and friendly in the ordinary course of events, but to show authority whenever students have gone too far. Being too strict is according to me inefficient in most cases, as students can always find a way to go around the rules. On the other hand, being too kind doesn't help either. It is just about finding a right balance. A teacher must treat all students equally, as this can have an important impact on their results. One of his/her roles is to analyze the strengths of each student. These strenghts, whether dormant or apparent, need to be developed. This can be done by combining effective study phases and fun activate stages. In any case, there shouldn't be a wall between a teacher and his/her students. He/She should be very intuitive so as to know what students' needs are. Human relations are to me the most important aspect of teaching., that's why it is crucial to establish good rapports.