Taking Part in Pep Rallies

Other rapport ideas

Forgiveness: getting mad at kids but then forgiving them the next time you see them. Not holding grudges. I called out a sophomore girl for being rude, talked to her after class and all that. The next class, the students were coming up with words to describe themselves and writing about them in a computer lab. She came up with "cheeky" and said, "Yeah, that's totally me." We joked about it, abnd the relationship was back. We must discipline, but we must not tie it to personal things.

Listening: I just spent eight extra minutes listening to a girl talk about a horrible thing that had happened to her several months ago. It was a horribly sad story, but something I probably only needed about three minutes to hear. Standing there listening for the next five minutes was an investment of time that made the girl feel like I cared. Sounds very cynical now that I write it, but teachers need to be patient and realize that kids are learning how to connect. They don't always have the body language gauge that adults have. Bear with them, and it might pay off in yuor classroom down the road with a more engaged student.

Helping Kids through big moments in their careers

It may seem obvious, but there are moments when students need our support, and moments when they're pretty much okay on their own. A simple show of support for them during a big moment in their lives is both the right thing to do and a way to build rapport. College essay advice, a quick referral to a counselor when a student is struggling (if they want it!) or a glance the other way when it's obvious a student is drowsy because of a bad night can all pay dividends when down the road you need ot teach these students. Watch out for the students who will take advantage of your willingness to help them, but it won't happen very often. Most teenagers want to be independent and feel awkward about asking for help.