Struggling to Build Rapport with My Students – And How I Finally Connected

When I first stepped into the classroom as a newly hired teacher, I was filled with excitement and nervousness at the same time. I had no formal training, just a passion for teaching.

However, within the first few days, I realized that the biggest challenge wasn’t the lessons or the classroom management—it was building a strong connection with my students.

At first, I thought that simply standing in front of the class and delivering lessons would be enough. But I quickly discovered that teaching is about so much more than that. The students didn’t seem to respond to me the way I had hoped. They weren’t eager to participate, and some would hardly make eye contact. I felt like I was just another adult telling them what to do, and it was disheartening.

 I knew I had to find a way to connect with them, but I had no idea where to start.

“The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid.”

JEAN-LUC PICARD

The Turning Point

One day, as I was walking through the school courtyard, feeling overwhelmed, I could hear one of my fellow teachers interacting in her classroom.

She was not just teaching—she was engaged with their students in a way that felt more like a conversation than a lecture. I realized that I had been treating my classroom as a space to deliver information, but I hadn’t been treating my students as individuals with their own personalities and needs.

This moment of reflection was my turning point. I knew I needed to change my approach if I was ever going to build a connection with my students.

The first step I took was to make an effort to get to know my students as kids, not just learners. I began asking them simple questions, like about their hobbies or what they liked to do after school. Slowly, I learned about their favourite games, choices, and even some struggles they were facing at home.

By learning about their world, I was able to show them that I cared about them as individuals and not just students who needed to pass tests.

Another shift I made was in how I structured my lessons. I realized that I was trying to teach in a way that made sense to me, not thinking that my students might learn differently. So, I started incorporating more interactive activities into my lessons. Instead of having them sit quietly and take notes, I encouraged them to share their ideas, work in groups, and engage in hands-on activities. For example, when we learned about animals, I let the students create drawings of their favorite animals and share interesting facts they knew. This made the lessons more fun and gave them a chance to contribute in their own way.

I also started to praise small victories. Even if a student just answered a question correctly or made an effort to participate, I made sure to acknowledge it. This helped build their confidence and showed them that their voice mattered.

Looking back now, I can see how far I’ve come. What started as a classroom of distant faces and awkward silences has turned into a place where students are excited to learn, share, and collaborate. The rapport I built with my students was not built overnight, but through consistent effort, empathy, and an openness to learning alongside them.

In the end, the biggest lesson I learned wasn’t about lesson plans or teaching techniques—it was about connecting with the students as people first.

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