I tend to bring the students into my world of understanding by bringing up real world instances where I ran into obsticles and overcame them, or not. I learned one way or another and let my students know they will have simiar issues in class, in relationships, in life overall. Bringing this blanket of understanding to the beginning of class, letting them know it is going to happen and I understand, helps the student to know I am there for them, I have real world expereiences they can learn from and begins to build the relationship.
