Ethel,
Sounds like you have found a comfortable and supportive teaching style. I know your students look forward to working with you and benefiting from your knowledge.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Developing a rapport with each individual student is the key to successful teaching. One aspect I have respected in my favorite teachers is humility. The ability not only to admit uncertainty but also to 'not know'. I have always greatly appreciated this and am a strong believer in being honest about what you know and what you do not.
Stacey,
I agree and think this is how instructors should approach their content area. We can't know it all so a result we become learning leaders in finding out the answers to questions raised.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Rapport is hugh in having a positive classroom environment. This also allows for good retention in the school. Student need to know who they can trust and who they can go to when they have an issue in the classroom or personally. They need someone they can confide in and keep things confidential.
Cheryl,
Respect and rapport are foundational to teaching success. We need to start the development of both from day one of class.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Rapport is so important in teaching because you want your students to feel comfortable coming to you for any issues they may need assistance with. It could be not understanding the lesson or maybe something very personal.
I think its important to develop a rapport with our students because it helps us to communicate better with them. To me its important to communicate on a personal level because the students are better receptive to it, but at the same time stating professional. Its helps them to look at you like a human being and not just as a person in charge.
Terry Marie,
I agree. I start with a three step model with all my new classes. First is courtesy. I will extend you courtesy while I do the second step is to earn your respect. To do so I will respect you and you respect me. Third I will strive to develop rapport with you so we can have a positive and supportive working relationship while you are in my class.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Ana,
Well said. Rapport with students makes teaching so much easier and more fun because everyone is working on learning while enjoying a common goal which is the field that is being studied.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Rapport is vital for good communication both with our students and with patients. When they see good examples from instructors on how to build rapport it can help them in application with their own careers.
Without rapport, most students will be hesitant to trust the instructor, ask meaningful questions, and acquire a true sense of the importance of the skill(s) being presented. I find it important that the students recognize me as a guide, rather than as a teacher, hoping to eliminate any stigma that may have been created within certain students. We discuss why we are in the field, or wanting to get into the field. I always try to impress on students that they may have the opportunity to become more proficient at what I am presenting than I have become, with the intention of encouraging the student to reach farther. And the class is always started with a "conversation time," that allows all of us to share an interesting story or event since we have last been together.
James,
I really like your supportive and engaging style of teaching. You are respectful of the students and are showing them how if they will put forth the effort to be successful. This is what rapport development is about.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Stacy,
Right you are. Respect is earned as the students start the class. You earn their respect while they are earning yours. Then you can help them to develop rapport with you and the other students. This then transfers over to the patients and everyone benefits.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Developing rapport is important because students are much more willing to listen to and learn from an instructor when they feel they can trust that instructor and know an instructor has their best interests at heart. There is a saying I learned many years ago that helps me to remember how important it is to build this rapport. The saying is "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care!" and I have found it to be quite true and valuable as an instructor.
Scott,
Great saying and one we need to remember each time we enter the classroom. We need to bring the human factor along with our technical expertise into our teaching.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I believe the student should feel like they can reach out to me and ask any type of question, even if it isn't what we are studying about. Obviously, that type of question would be for before or after class, but if they can feel okay asking questions that aren't part of class, they definitely will feel comfortable with asking questions about classroom material.
Maryna,
Rapport with students helps them to feel that they can ask any question of you, both related to the class and outside the domain of the class topic. This is a comfort level that involves the human aspect of teaching and it also demonstrates the respect they have for you as their learning leader.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I consistanly able to push questions into discussions where soon more and more students are participating - due largly inpart to the fact I can make them comfortable in starting discussion.
At the begining students so tend to feel intimidated, we have discussions. everyone little be little start opening up, start feels comfortable with one another not being afraid to ask questions. Also making the atmosphere comfortable for everyone. Other students might have already gone through what one particular student is dealing with at the time and that might just help.
Annamarie,
It is a bit of a slow process in getting students settled into a new course. They need some help through introductions and ice breakers to feel a part of the class and get focused on the up coming class sessions.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
