Developing Rapport

Tend to students' social and emotional needs:

• See how Henry Seton, a humanities teacher-leader and writer, uses "A Daily Ritual That Builds Trust and Community Among Students".

Create an environment that is safe and engaging for all learners:

• In his book, "We Got This", Cornelius Minor urges teachers to "create and maintain the kind of community that will help kids feel safe enough to be honest."

• Visit Cal Poly’s SOE Prioritized Skills Module #1 to learn more about Creating an Environment of Respect and Rapport

Create inclusive classroom communities:

• Mapping Your Heart - View this video to learn about Heart Mapping, invented by Georgia Heard, as one strategy to begin building an inclusive classroom community.

Building rapport with students from the beginning of a placement allows teacher candidates to make connections early and start forming relationships.

Spend time getting to know your students on an individual level:

• Access students’ “Funds of Knowledge” via a Family Survey or Inventory, such as this one from the Learning for Justice website (formerly Teaching for Tolerance): Family Interview.
• Talk to your cooperating teacher about the learning needs of your students and start discussing how to meet those needs.
• Listen to your students! "Our teacher superpower - is not some mythical teacher goodness or hyperbolic self-sacrifice. Those things do not exist. Our superpower is listening" ~ Cornelius Minor. It's not just about listening with your ears, though. Watch this brief video to learn different ways teachers should be listening:

Equally important as building rapport with students is maintaining that rapport. Here are some suggestions to maintain rapport throughout your placement.

Create an inclusive classroom community: Be intentional when creating and nurturing your class community:

• Restorative Circles: "A technique for proactively building the skills and relationships students will need when challenges arise" (Woerkom, 2018). Please visit our Restorative Circles Newsletter for more information on using this approach.
• What I Wonder About Heart Map: A video with the creator of Heart Maps, Georgia Heard, modeling how to create a “What I Wonder About” Heart Map.

Regularly remind students how special they are:

• Teachers Tell Students How Special They Are: Video of high school teachers telling their students how and why they are special.

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