The main thing I think of when I hear "relational" is finding ways to connect with your students. I think it is really helpful to find common ground between you and the students. For example, about a week ago I was teaching a lesson on quadrilaterals. We got to the square and I asked my students if they ever played 4 Square when they were in elementary school. Several of my students got excited very quickly telling me about their experiences playing 4 square and then some students started saying that they loved to play tether ball. I used to love to play tether ball in elementary school so we all started talking about those memories together. It was a brief, maybe 5 minute interruption, to our lesson, but it helped me not only connect with my students, but it also allowed my students to relate what we were learning about to something that was familiar to them.
This is something that I think is very important. Students need to know that their teachers care about them as individuals and not just what their test scores are. Offering support and advice for things that have nothing to do with what is going on in the classroom is a great way to build confidence and trust in each other. By building that relationship, you are creating positive experiences for that student and building up the image they have of themselves. In return, the student will be more responsive in the classroom and more willing to be a hard worker.
Connecting with our students is so important. So many students need an adult that they can trust, and as teachers we have an opportunity to provide that support.
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