How can you build strong relationships with struggling students?

My answers always start with the intention! If you do indeed intend to reach the student and have a profound affect on the student's character, growth and ability then having empathy and compassion are necassary pillars to our house of education. You need to be sincere in the two emotions. Students can spot a fake a mile away. You will not serve your students well if you don't really care about their well being.

Building strong relationships with struggling students is an important aspect of education. - Proximity: Spending time with students is key to building strong relationships. Teachers can build relationships with students by consistently showing kindness, saying students’ names, and interacting with them in general. - Teachers can ask students for help in a variety of ways, both important and trivial, that foster trust. These acts help build rapport with students because they make students feel special, trustworthy, and an integral part of the classroom community. - Humor can help struggling students feel more comfortable and engaged in the classroom. It can make learning fun and enjoyable.

Having empathy is the most essential part of connecting with another human being. It is the ability to put yourself in their shoes. There is a root cause of the problem, namely the real reason behind the struggle. There can be many things, some of which the educators can fix and others can not, but it is always possible to be upfront about that while still being kind, patient, and supportive. Depending on the severity and nature of the issues, it is okay to tell them that some adversities are part of life. It is a fine line between indulging in their using excuses and being supportive, empathic, and understanding. An educator needs to do the latter to help the struggling student effectively.

Effective communication includes active listening and finding out the pain points of the student and the root cause of it. If the student is complaining about school, teacher, or personal life, and it sounds like it is not you or the student can change, tell them that upfront. If it makes sense to try to change it in the short term, tell them how they could try in the best and the most effective way. If they are overcommitted with too many activities and are overwhelmed, ask them to review that and make necessary prioritizations and adjustments. Try to understand the learning style and individualize lessons as much as possible. Provide additional tutoring as much as possible. Be supportive and convey that often.

Establishing expectations and boundaries is a life saver. You don't need a class constitution in order to establish order in your class. A few expectations are adequate. However, you must be relentless about the students respecting the boundaries you set. You must be aggessive about the students adhering to those few boundaries and make sure YOU always remember to keep them accountable to those few boundaries.

Very often, struggling students do better with tailored and individualized instructions that fit their learning style. Tutoring or individual help during study hall, etc., can be a great way to achieve that. Peer tutoring is helpful as well. Peers are sometimes better at explaining concepts in their own way. Self-paced online courses can help them learn at their own pace.

Remember, your one sentence of praise that you looked at as a routine, normal celebration of achievment can be the spark that ignites the fire. Students remember these words years and years after and can have a profound affect on their future lives.