Without rapport, behaviour management becomes harder.
We miss out on harmony.
We miss out on a sense of shared endeavour.
It makes communication that bit trickier.
Learners are less ready to take in what we say.
Less ready to give us the benefit of the doubt.
And the interactions we have are not gilded by the belief that we are all in this together, working towards a shared goal.
This works against our learners seeing our intentions as positive.
And it makes it harder for us to develop the shared norms and values we want.
In a classroom characterised by a lack of rapport, communication between teacher and learners will suffer.
There may be more misunderstandings, a less positive atmosphere, and a sense that people are pulling in different directions.
Most probably, there will also be a lack of trust, with learners reluctant to take the teacher’s word at face value and to accept that they have their best interests at heart.
In contrast, a classroom with good rapport will always be more productive.
This has the consequence of improving progress and achievement, as well as providing learners with a more enjoyable and fulfilling experience.
It is not just that rapport creates relationships in which we feel safer, more comfortable and more at home.
It is also that we achieve a series of cumulative gains that help us maximise learning and develop the best classroom environment possible.
For example, if we have good rapport with our learners then whenever we ask them to change their behaviour, to complete a task, or to think about a question, the request is perceived from a positive standpoint.
Rapport frames how other people hear us.
On the other hand, we have a situation where there is little or no rapport.
Here, we’re more likely to encounter refusals, to have our requests questioned, and, while learners may engage with what we ask them to do, they may do so with less vigour.
Over the course of a single lesson, good rapport saves us a considerable amount of time and energy.
Over the course of a term or a year, this adds up to a significant amount of additional learning.
And significantly less work on our part.
Finally, let us just reiterate that, while good rapport is beneficial in general terms, it also tends to make lessons more enjoyable, for everyone.
It is more enjoyable, as a teacher, to work with a class that we get on well with.
We become positively disposed to the experience.
We look forward to it.
The same is true of our learners.
If they anticipate a good lesson, they are more likely to experience one.
So too us.
Rapport is central to achieving this.
Communication in all its Forms
So how do we go about building rapport?
The first thing to consider is how you communicate while teaching.
Remember that everything you do and say sends a message to your learners.
Your voice, body language, how you dress, how you carry yourself, the words you say and the lessons you plan: all of these give learners information to decode and assimilate.
This information forms the basis of learners’ perceptions about you.
And it is these perceptions that influence the relationship you and they establish.
This means we can build rapport during every part of our teaching.
By attending to the kind of messages you send out, you can shape and mould these messages, so they help you to develop good relationships with all your learners.
For example, you can plan lessons that are well-organised, challenging, and that clearly demonstrate an understanding of where learners are at with their learning.
This conveys a powerful message.
It demonstrates to learners how seriously you take your work and their learning.
It also demonstrates your attention to detail.
And the fact that you make it your business to understand learners’ needs.
These are powerful messages that are often overlooked in the context of positive behaviour management.
Think about your own experiences in education.
What difference does it make to relationships when you know the teacher is working hard to give you a good experience?
To help you make good progress. To give you great opportunities to learn.
Of course, every teacher sets out with this goal.
But carrying through on it and doing it consistently is key.
Because it’s that consistency that sends the message to learners.
That reminds them, every lesson, that we have their best interests at heart.
Another example is turning up on time.
Ridiculous, I know!
Such a simple thing.
Yet on countless occasions I have seen teachers arrive late to a lesson and then wonder why they struggle to develop a sustained positive relationship with their learners.
They fail to understand that arriving late sends a message – whether intended or not – that learners identify, take on board, and remember.
How would you feel if you had an appointment, and the other person turned up late
OK, you might not be bothered but imagine if it kept happening.
The message would be clear. The other person doesn’t value your time as much as they value their time.
It doesn’t matter whether that is true.
All that matters is the perception.
Because perceived reality is often far more important to humans than objective reality.
So, if learners perceive that you’re always late and that this suggests a lack of interest, that’s the perception that will shape their interactions with you.
The first way you can look to build rapport, then, is to pay attention to all the communication in which you engage and to ensure that the messages you send are both consistent and reflective of the classroom culture you want to develop.
It’s a great starting point. And it will go a long way to helping you build the relationships you want.
