From day one in the classroom, teachers must intentionally build relationships with students. When teachers create trust within the classroom, students are more motivated to learn. They are willing to take risks by answering questions and participating fully. The teacher takes intentional actions to create this bond by supporting students, modeling positive behaviors, and encouraging collaboration.

Greet Students

Each day teachers should greet students with a smile as they walk into the classroom. The teacher must set the tone for the day, and this tone must demonstrate that you care and value every student. Ask questions about their favorite hobbies or sports and remember a specific detail about their families then ask about it. Teachers must spend time getting to know each student, so learn their names quickly and begin a daily routine of welcoming them into the classroom.

Give students responsibilities. You will show that you trust them to complete the tasks you assign, so allow one student to water the plants and another student to pass out papers. When children help the teacher, they feel proud and special. Be sure to rotate responsibilities so that all students can show you they can do it.

Communicate with Families

Communicating often with the families of your students is vital. This communication can take many forms including email, phone calls, text messages, video messages, and even postcards in the mail. Making an effort to communicate with each family will take more time, but you want to establish trust with them. Your goal is to show parents that you respect them and that you only want the best for their children.

Also, parents are an invaluable resource as you get to know your students. They can help you understand more about their child’s frustrations and talents. Communicating regularly shows that you value your students and families, so you are helping everyone feel more comfortable. Through this important communication, you learn more about your students’ needs, which helps you tailor your lessons to increase learning. Getting to know each student’s family requires time and commitment, but it will create a bond that goes beyond the classroom and school year. 

Body Language

Teachers’ gestures, comments, and tone make the difference when creating trust with students. It is important to speak to students with a smile and move around the room when teaching. Everything you say resonates, so your comments should always be positive. Believe in your students and show them that you value each one. As you walk around the room, ask questions, engage in small talk and pat children on the back. You are there to encourage, facilitate, and support learning. You alone create the positive environment through your encouragement and positive demeanor, so let every student know you are happy to see them and that you value them as individuals.

Ask students to share something about themselves and let them know you value how they think. The classroom should be a place where everyone feels safe, so encourage that behavior and more students will participate. Allow students to share opinions and encourage diverse ideas; they are watching your reactions, so continue to nod, smile, and inspire. Let everyone know it is a safe place to share thoughts and discuss opinions.

Be Flexible

Remember you are working with a variety of personalities who are developing their ideas as well as their likes and dislikes. Begin the day by asking for volunteers to share what they did over the weekend, or about their favorite hobby. You must also share your personality and passions. Students will enjoy learning more about you, and this will help them bond with you and their classmates. If you see students enjoying themselves as they share stories, don’t worry about your plan for the day. You must understand your students’ needs, so if they are engrossed in an activity that may go longer than you planned, it’s okay to get off schedule. Your flexibility will also be an example to your students to learn how to go with the flow. Yes, you should have a schedule and routines; however, you also need to know when to go off course and embrace their excitement.

Be Yourself

Show your passion for a lesson you are about to teach. You can pique their interest by sharing a favorite video or podcast. Your passion becomes their passion as you share your excitement for the topic. Share why you have a passion for the topic. You might want to tell a story about the first time you learned about the subject or even how at first you didn’t understand it. Your own vulnerability and stories about you help your students see you as a person they can trust. When you make a mistake, own it. You want students to see you be you. Humans make mistakes; it is how you react to your mistake that will make the difference to your students.

Create Class Traditions

You want students to love coming to school, and one of the best ways is to have class traditions where students look forward to attending class. You may want to start a tradition that honors students’ birthdays in a special way. Students can wear a hat or sash and lead others in a song or be your personal assistant for the day. You can also have special food days where students bring in treats that follow a theme. This tradition can be monthly and involve help from parents. If food days are too much or your school doesn’t allow food in the classroom, you may try to have a special activity that takes place every Friday. Fridays might be a day where students are allowed to take off their shoes during story time or listen to music of their choice at the end of the school day. As you get to know your students, you’ll know what types of traditions work best for them.

Building trust within the classroom must begin on day one. If done intentionally, each day brings you closer to your students. With mutual trust and respect, the learning community you created will grow and thrive.