(Newswire.net — December 22, 2020) — Studentship is one of the most eventful stages of a young person’s life. By the end of this tenure, most students will have already experienced many events, including a couple of failed relationships, poor financial decisions, constant fights with parents and friends, just to mention a few.

For such reasons, young individuals must be supported, especially during this stage of their lives. But as modern life has it, parents might not always be there to offer their assistance. This leaves professors, teachers, and mentors to play this role and offer support. 

There are many techniques that professors use to build their relationships with students. Among these methods, some are focused on a group of college-goers and those that imply an individual approach to challenging students. 

The following posts contain tips that professors should consider using when helping students in difficult situations.

How to Build Relationships with Students

A review of 46 studies found that strong teacher relationships are essential for building short term and long-term improvements on a school’s education measure; high grades, student engagement, low school dropout rates, and attendance.  

Not only that, but teachers also profit from the same. A study in the European Journal of Psychology of Education showed that the student-teacher relationship was the best indicator of a teacher’s emotions in class; joy versus anxiety. So, consider the following approach when building a student-teacher relationship.

Spending more time with the student

This will help you understand perspectives, expectations, and differences in their train of thought. In the process, develop a keen interest in their interests. 

Empathy

Several studies have concluded that teachers who display empathy for and with their learners have a better chance of engaging learners and understanding their behavior. 

How to Offer Support and Assistance 

It is not a secret that a student’s home significantly influences their academic performance at school. Part of building a healthy student-teacher relationship is by understanding the challenges they experience to offer support where necessary. 

• Help them feel safe.

• Ensure there is access to medication.

• Promote a supportive learning environment. 

• Be consistent and flexible.

How to Deal with Difficult Students

As mentioned above, students go through a host of emotions that might cause them to erupt once in a while. It is essential to not lower behavioral standards because in doing so, the student will keep exploiting the situation. On the other hand, you must show to support them during this challenging and confusing period. 

So, how do you handle challenging students;

• Start by building a relationship with the student. More than half of schoolchildren in the middle class or less believed that they will not be missed by their instructors when they leave school. Yet, many teachers love their learners. For this reason, it is essential to handle difficult schoolchildren by start building a relationship with them.

• Never attack the student. It is crucial to model respectfulness to those who act disrespectfully.

• Create a pressure valve. Even schoolchildren need space to vent. For instance, if the individual struggles with assignments, it is an opportunity to give constructive criticism. Academic scientific research can be complicated for students. You can help them find mistakes and improve their knowledge. For example, if a student writes essays poorly, you will give them more study materials, essays samples, and literature on the subject before you just give him a bad grade.

Conclusion

School goers, including those in college and universities, face many challenges that affect their studies. Parents may not always be able to help out and give support. But teachers and professors could step in and build meaningful relationships with them.