Four effective ways teachers can show students that they really care

If you were asked what you remembered most about your favourite teacher growing up, I bet you wouldn’t say much about the subject matter. Instead, you would describe how he or she made you feel as you learned that subject matter—the sense of excitement or discovery you felt, the safety to take chances and make mistakes, or the confidence that you were valued as a human being.

According to research, few factors in education have a greater impact on a student’s educational experience than a caring relationship with his or her teacher.

Here are some practical tips, from the teachers at The Assisted Learning Centre, for teachers to help them build caring relationships with students. Here are some of the most important tips:

1) Get to know your students and the lives they live. This is especially important if your students are from a different background than you. Numerous studies have shown that cultural misunderstanding between teachers and students can have a hugely negative impact on students’ educational experience. But research has also shown that teachers who visit students’ homes and spend time in their communities develop a deep awareness of students’ challenges and needs and are better able to help them.

If your time is limited, then ask students to complete an “interest inventory,” which can be as simple as having students write down their five favorite things to do. Their responses will give you ideas for making the curriculum more relevant to their lives—a sure method for letting students know you care about them.

2) Actively listen to students. A teacher who actively listens to students is listening for the meaning behind what students are saying, and then checks in with them to make sure they’ve understood properly. This affirms students’ dignity and helps develop a trusting relationship between teachers and students.

If the chaos of the classroom doesn’t allow you to give this kind of focused listening to a student who really needs it, then set a time to talk when there are fewer distractions.

3) Ask students for feedback. Choose any topic—it doesn’t have to be academic—and have students write down, in a couple of sentences, what confuses or concerns them most about the topic. By considering their feedback, you are showing students that you value their opinions and experiences. It also creates a classroom culture where students feel safe to ask questions and take chances, which will help them grow academically.

4) Reflect on your own experience with care. Oftentimes, we unconsciously care for others the way we have been cared for—for better or worse. Reflecting on how you were cared for or not cared for as a child will give you insight into the kind of care you might be extending to your students, and allow you to adjust your care to fit their needs.

Teachers often don’t realize how even the smallest caring gesture can have a huge impact on their students.

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