How to Get Your Students to Like You

Co-authored by Soren Rosier, PhD and Dan Hickey

Last Updated: April 13, 2024 Approved

A strong student-teacher relationship is critical to keeping students engaged in the learning process. Plus, it feels good to have your students like you! Taking the time to get to know all your students as individuals in a positive learning environment is key to developing this bond and winning your students’ affection, regardless of their age. Keep reading for a list of simple but effective ways to learn more about your students and become the likable teacher they’ll talk about for years.

1

Learn and use your students’ names.

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Using a person’s name shows you respect and recognize them. Saying a student’s name shows you have a genuine interest in speaking to them, and they are more likely to engage in conversation and start to trust you. Greet students by name as they enter your classroom or as you pass them in the hallway, and aim to use their name at least once during one-on-one conversations. ^{[1]
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Research source}
- To learn a new group of students’ names quickly, try asking them to fill out name tags on the first day of class. This will also help students get to know each other.
- For younger students, a name game makes a fun icebreaker activity that gets the entire class interacting with each other.

2

Participate in class activities.

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Students usually think of teachers as separate from themselves. Join them in whatever experiment, project, or discussion they are doing in your class. When you get involved in the work and show you’re passionate about it, you’ll form a reciprocal relationship with your students and earn their respect. ^{[2]
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Trustworthy Source
Understood
Nonprofit organization dedicated to resources and support to people with thinking differences, such as ADHD or dyslexia
Go to source}
- Joining in a group activity as a teacher is a great way to help younger students see the activity as fun instead of a required task. The more fun they have with you, the stronger their affection for you will be.
- For older students where in-class activities are less common, integrate yourself into class discussions and have thoughtful exchanges with students rather than simply asking questions and selecting participants to answer them.

3

Pass out an Interest Survey.

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Take an inventory of your students’ hobbies, interests, and favorites. A questionnaire or a survey is an easy way to collect this information and show that you’re genuinely interested in your students’ lives outside of the classroom. Use what you learn about them to strike up friendly conversations during downtime and demonstrate that you care about the information they give you. ^{[3]
X
Trustworthy Source
National Education Association
Union of professional teachers devoted to promoting the success of the public education system by advocating on behalf of teachers and students.
Go to source}
- Try incorporating popular answers into your lesson plans. For example, if multiple students say they like watching The Great British Bake Off, try using baking recipes to create math problems involving fractions.
- Young students who are still learning how to read and write can prepare a short presentation about themselves and their favorite things as a fun alternative to a written survey.

4

Picture your students outside of the classroom.

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Your students have a whole life outside of your class. Find out what their schedules are like, what they do for fun, or what major events or milestones they have coming up. This information will help you understand how they act in class and give you things to relate to them through besides the course material. ^{[4]
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Trustworthy Source
National Education Association
Union of professional teachers devoted to promoting the success of the public education system by advocating on behalf of teachers and students.
Go to source}
- One fun idea to get to know more about your students’ lives is to create a community events calendar in your classroom. Students can add birthdays, sports games, community theater plays, or other activities they’re involved in. If it’s appropriate, you can attend one of their events to show you’re supportive of them and not just their math grades. If you can’t go, it’ll still give you ample conversation starters.

5

Help students bond with each other.

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Build a positive classroom community among all your students. When students get along and enjoy each other’s company, they’ll associate you and your class with fun and friendship. Community-building activities like sharing circles, class games, and group projects are all ways to help your class function as a social unit. ^{[5]
X
Trustworthy Source
American Psychological Association
Leading scientific and professional organization of licensed psychologists
Go to source}
- Noticing which students are friendly with each other can help you form a relationship with distant students. Try striking up a conversation about a topic of interest to a shy student with a friend of theirs. If they overhear the conversation, they might be drawn in and open up to you a bit more. This is particularly helpful for elementary and some junior high students. ^{[6]
 X
 Trustworthy Source
 Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
 Nonprofit organization providing innovative, effective educational resources for educators designed to support student achievement
 Go to source}

6

Seek one-on-one time with students.

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Make an effort to spend time individually with each student. These can be brief exchanges in the hallway between classes or as everyone is packing up their books at the end of the school day. This gives you the opportunity to get to know them more personally and will help create a more positive relationship with them. This is especially effective for students who are difficult or shy. ^{[7]
X
Trustworthy Source
American Psychological Association
Leading scientific and professional organization of licensed psychologists
Go to source}
- Try speaking one-on-one with challenging elementary students every day, even if it’s only for 30 seconds. The consistency will show them you’re trying to get to know them, and will eventually help break down barriers and improve your relationship. ^{[8]
 X
 Trustworthy Source
 Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
 Nonprofit organization providing innovative, effective educational resources for educators designed to support student achievement
 Go to source}
- For junior high and high school students, try a “check-in day” where you meet one-on-one with each student briefly while the rest of the class works on an assignment. The meeting can start with observations about class and transition to more personal topics if appropriate.
- Even if a student appears unresponsive to your attempts to talk, they hear what you’re saying. They may not open up immediately, but their relationship with you might blossom in the long term. ^{[9]
 X
 Trustworthy Source
 American Psychological Association
 Leading scientific and professional organization of licensed psychologists
 Go to source}
EXPERT TIP

Joseph Meyer
Math Teacher
Joseph Meyer is a High School Math Teacher based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is an educator at City Charter High School, where he has been teaching for over 7 years. Joseph is also the founder of Sandbox Math, an online learning community dedicated to helping students succeed in Algebra. His site is set apart by its focus on fostering genuine comprehension through step-by-step understanding (instead of just getting the correct final answer), enabling learners to identify and overcome misunderstandings and confidently take on any test they face. He received his MA in Physics from Case Western Reserve University and his BA in Physics from Baldwin Wallace University.

Joseph Meyer
Math Teacher

Show students you care. Observing your students allows you to tailor your teaching to their needs. Over time, you'll be able to deepen their understanding of the subject matter. Students appreciate teachers invested in their growth, and building long-term relationships with students is incredibly rewarding.

7

Listen to your students’ thoughts and opinions.

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Your students are individuals with unique perspectives and ideas. When students feel free to communicate their thoughts and feelings with you, they’re more likely to stay engaged in the learning process and to come to you for encouragement and support when needed. Two-way communication contributes to an inclusive and respectful classroom climate. ^{[10]
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Research source}
- Engage in dialogue with students instead of simply talking “at” them. Give them a chance to let you know how they feel or what they think. ^{[11]
 X
 Trustworthy Source
 National Education Association
 Union of professional teachers devoted to promoting the success of the public education system by advocating on behalf of teachers and students.
 Go to source}
- For younger students, look at nonverbal clues like body language and eye contact to help gauge their feelings since they might not be able to verbally articulate all of their thoughts yet.
- Anonymous student satisfaction surveys can be a useful tool for gathering feedback from older students who may not be comfortable verbally sharing their feedback on their classroom experience.
EXPERT TIP

Joseph Meyer
Math Teacher
Joseph Meyer is a High School Math Teacher based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is an educator at City Charter High School, where he has been teaching for over 7 years. Joseph is also the founder of Sandbox Math, an online learning community dedicated to helping students succeed in Algebra. His site is set apart by its focus on fostering genuine comprehension through step-by-step understanding (instead of just getting the correct final answer), enabling learners to identify and overcome misunderstandings and confidently take on any test they face. He received his MA in Physics from Case Western Reserve University and his BA in Physics from Baldwin Wallace University.

Joseph Meyer
Math Teacher

Effective teaching strategies consider a student's individual strengths. Tailoring instruction to a student's existing skills and encouraging collaborative activities can improve a student's outcome. Recognizing diverse learning styles allows for a stronger approach, fostering potential in all learners.