How To Make Your Students Love You: Winning the love of your students is one of the biggest successes you can have as a teacher. It’s a frequent misconception among teachers that you have to be tough to succeed, but this isn’t always the case. Furthermore, you don’t need to use harsh language or make students cry to impart fundamental knowledge to them.
If that’s the case, why do many feel that giving off the impression that one is a cruel teacher is the way to go when teaching students, when actually you may end up with students who despise you? If we’re being honest, no matter how stern and rigid you are, you still want your students to love you. As such, this article is going to explore ways to make your students love you.
How To Make Your Students Love You
1. Listen: Students will want to share with you how their family recently acquired a new vehicle, pet, or sibling. They find it to be great news. They want to spread it widely. Be the teacher who pays attention to what they have to say. Stop what you’re doing, take a moment to focus on them, and listen carefully to what they have to say. Even though it may not seem important to you, showing that you care about what makes them happy demonstrates your value for them. They’ll love you for it.
2. Compliment: Tell them how wonderful they are. Not enough people give out compliments these days. Do you love it when people compliment you? I bet you do! Be the teacher who compliments students on their new hairstyle, shoes, and backpack. Don’t forget to tell them how special they are to you. For that, they’ll adore you.
3. Ask: Inquire about their loved ones, pets, activities and anything else you may think of. The goal is to just express your genuine interest in them and for their wellbeing. Take the initiative if they are unwilling to disclose what is going on in their lives. Let them know you are genuinely interested in what is happening in their lives. Be their exclusive audience. They’ll love you for that.
4. Smile: A cheerful teacher is easier to love. If you are someone who naturally doesn’t smile, then you have to make conscious efforts to smile when you are around students. Consider this; your favourite teacher most likely didn’t seem to ever frown. Students come to your class every day hoping to receive a nod of approval. Some students arrive in class having had a negative experience at home, on the way to school, or in a previous class. Having a cheerful teacher makes things better. So, smile. For that, they’ll love you.
5. Believe in Them: You must have faith in each student’s ability to succeed. Even the inactive, seemingly uninterested kid can succeed in your lesson. If you truly believe this, you will go above and beyond to ensure this student’s success. Even if they fail the class and you become even more worn out, the extra time and effort you put into that student will not go unnoticed. They will appreciate the fact that you never gave up on them and love you even more.
6. Be Approachable: Students want to know they can approach you in confidence. Do the kids feel safe approaching your desk if they have a question regarding their homework? Does the space between your side and their side of the room have an invisible wall? Are you the teacher they can turn to if they have a personal problem? Yes, you are not their designated counsellor, but amazing teachers are multi-faceted; they are also counsellors, motivators, mediators of conflicts, etc. Make an effort to be approachable. For that, students will love you.
7. Stay in Control: It’s like burning a bridge between the teacher and the students when a teacher rants in front of the class out of frustration or rage. Students will annoy you obviously. Although they will frustrate you, you must resist the urge to lose your cool and become irate.
When a teacher maintains composure in a noisy classroom or when a disruptive or belligerent kid is present, students take notice. Amazing teachers are known for maintaining their composure and poise even in the face of chaos. Maintain control. For that, students will love you.
8. Adopt: Accept them not just as students but as your children. The majority of teachers find this challenging. When our children act inappropriately, we discipline them in a way that not only teaches them a lesson but also serves as a deterrent. When you regard the kids in your class as just pupils, your actions are not the same as when we see them as your children.
Although some of these children are difficult to accept as members of your families, incredible teachers “adopt” every pupil in their class. You know you’re on the right track when they accidentally refer to you as “mom” or “dad.” They will love you more if you treat them like family rather than as your students.
9. Touch: Offer handshakes, knuckle bumps and high fives. There is something about physical contact that can aid in breaking social barriers. Now, some teachers treat their students as though they are contagious. They have created an invisible barrier between themselves and their students.
That shouldn’t be the case. Naturally, you must exercise caution when touching students, but giving them a high five or a knuckle bump might help them feel valued and respected. They will adore you for making them feel special via such gestures.
10. Participate In Class Activities: The majority of the time, students view their teachers as being distinct from them. Participate with them in any experiment, project, or conversation that is being conducted in your class.
You’ll develop a mutually beneficial relationship with your students and gain their respect if you become actively involved in the work and demonstrate your enthusiasm for it.
11. Make Your Lessons Meaningful: Don’t teach the subject; teach the students. Students that have boring teachers are tolerated by them rather than liked. Students won’t remember you because of the American Revolution paragraph they had to write, but they will remember the humorous anecdote you told that made the American Revolution come to life.
They will remember the way you used a current pop singer in the lesson. They’ll recollect the rap song you performed that you used to teach the Arms of Government. Take the time to personalize your teachings for your students. For that, they’ll love you.
12. Remember That good Relationships Take a Long Time To Form: While some pupils will require time to warm up to you, others will be pleasant right away. Time and consistency are essential in developing great relationships with your students. The consistency will increase your credibility and keep students of all ages interested in their studies.
The results of your labour will become apparent after a few weeks or perhaps months. Though not all kids may show it at once, keep in mind that all students, including the challenging ones, will benefit from your efforts to build a strong relationship.
Conclusion
Positive student-teacher interactions are essential for keeping pupils motivated to learn. The fact that you are loved by your students also makes you feel good. Regardless of their age, getting to know each of your students as unique individuals in a supportive learning environment is the key to making this connection and winning their affection.