Building Relationships in the Classroom

As a brand new school year begins this week, I am reminded of the importance of building relationships in the classroom. It is the bedrock of a classroom and I cannot say enough about how important it is. I believe that students cannot learn until they feel safe.There are a variety of things that play into how someone feels safe. Some aspects, we as teachers cannot control. Yet, in our classrooms, we truly set the stage for this. We can open doors to build relationships and establish trust.

Building relationships takes time. I feel that as a new school year begins, it is so important to spend the time establishing the routines and getting to know each other. This investment of time and energy will be crucial throughout the school year. Relationships are also unique and reciprocal. No one student is exactly like another, so it takes time to get to know individuals and to learn about each student. One of the aspects of elementary education that I love the most is that I have my students with me all day, so I do have the opportunity to really get to know them.

It is important to establish a climate of respect and security at the beginning of the year in order for relationships to grow and flourish. This is modeled by the teacher and then is transferred to students. Each member of the classroom community is important and plays a role. 

Relationships, like plants, take time to grow and need to be nurtured. My desire as a teacher is to establish an environment where each student can grow and flourish. Having strong, supportive relationships with my students is the fertile soil that gives students the opportunity to learn and grow. This week, as I meet my students and we kick off another school year, my main focus is to create a welcoming, safe environment and begin to build relationships with each student.