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Building rapport with your students: 5 Sure-fire ways to improve your Teaching Skills, An Article by Anthony Sell
Many of us have been fortunate enough to have worked with world class teachers in the course of our training, teachers whose presence an personality not only clearly imparts their knowledge, but makes a lasting impression on their audience. These teachers are often inspiring, motivating, insightful, responsive to the needs of their students, and truly concerned with your development.
Some of us have had the unfortunate experience of being in the class of a teacher who is simply running class, and is basically repeating things the way they always have, no matter who was in class or whythey were there.
One of the things that separates these teachers is the ability to build rapport with their students. Rapport is a term used in psychology and communication-related studies which refers to the ability of a person to build a connection with another person. This connection often fosters a sense of trust and responsiveness that opens a person's mind to communication, and aids in motivation. This is a vital attribute for instructors of the Martial Arts.
There are several sure-fire ways to improve the rapport you have with your students. Much of this will also lead to finding your own "style" of teaching, your own unique voice as an instructor, something that students will look forward to in class.
Eye contact
Regular eye contact is vital to lasting communication. By making eye contact with your students, you identify with them as people, and not just as a "class." Novice instructors often make the mistake of speaking to the room instead of to the individual students, which is a great way to flatten the energy in the room. At the right moment, subtle eye contact with a struggling student can do wonders for their motivation, as you appear to be saying to them "I am with you." This will do wonders for your student retention.
Vocal Inflection
All good speakers have the ability to vary their vocal inflection. An exciting class is taught with enthusiasm, and as instructors we are often put in the role of storyteller, bringing to life some personal insight or analogy that will make a lasting impression on the student.By altering our vocal inflection, the cadence, volume, and texture of our speech, we will foster for the students a sense of discovery.
To a degree, instructors should also be capable of demonstrating certain personas, each with their own vocal characteristics. This includes the Drill Instructor, the confidant, the spectator, the fighter, the coach, the sage, the judge, etc.
Personal Contact
A pat on the back or a touch on the arm can really improve a student's dedication to training, and often helps to make them feel like they are a part of the group. This has become very evident in the Brazilian Jiujitsu environment, where contact is often accompanied by a handshake, a pat on the shoulder and the words, "My friend."
One of the habits I've picked up from my teachers is the act of greeting a student when they walk in to the school. I have a small school with mirrors that allow me to see anyone who walks in from just about anywhere in the classroom. When a student walks in, I greet them by saying "Good Morning, (student's name)." This of course happens in the evening, which gets a strange laugh from them when they realize that they have replied "Good Morning."
By using their name, they know that they are not only welcome, but expected. By starting their training experience with a laugh, it sets the tone for a great class. By stating "Good Morning," the student associates a fresh start with that moment, which prepares them for a great class, no matter what happened earlier in their day. This reinforces that class time is something to look forward to.
Observation Drills
A lesson that I learned by watching Bruce Juchnic, is the power of an observation drill. In a nutshell, this means stopping class from time to time to perform a movement in a way that allows students to observe the mechanics of what is going on, while hinting at the subtler implications. This allows students to practice their observation skills and helps to illustrate a part of the technique that they may not have considered. It also sets the expectation for technical dissection of techniques, especially if you point out underlying principles among a group of techniques.
Observation drills also help to develop a sense of discovery and exploration in the student, leading them to further insights in the rest of their training. This type of exercise also adds a great deal of credibility to the competency of an instructor, and is a great way to win over a crowd of new students at seminars or workshops.
Personal Insight
One of the things that Sifu Faye talks about is that as instructors, we are given the rare opportunity to address a group of motivated people at the same time on a regular basis. It is important that we share with our students the important things we have learned in our lives and in our training time. This can be as simple as relating a story about a previous student's experience, to relating a lesson that you learned from one of your teachers.
If there is one thing that is common to all Martial Artists, regardless of style or system, it is the tendency to tell stories. This is not just limited to discussions in class, it may happen at unusual times. By relating these experiences, we bring the past alive in the student's mind, connecting them to generations of students, to a lineage and to a community. One sign of a healthy school is to see students hanging out afterwards, talking and sharing stories.
Building Rapport
Consistency is important in motivation. As a rule, I encourage my staff to insure that in every class the students will learn something new or improve something they already know, and they will sweat and leave feeling great.
This often requires the use of humor, hard work, and the discipline to demonstrate by example. The power of leading from the front, and going through the training with the students should not be underestimated. A hard workout often leads to a sense of accomplishment and can bring a class together as a group, as a team.
Many of the ways that I listed to develop rapport involve three common concepts. These are variety, contrast, and sincerity. If we vary the way that we present information, we will maintain student interest and enthusiasm. This means demonstrating some things quickly for impact, then slowly for clarity, speaking loudly at times, and softly at others, and using body language to underscore the lesson. This is a form of contrast which makes a greater impact.
Most important, however is that we approach our students with sincerity. People will instinctively distrust someone who is insincere. Your students are precious, and over time will teach you more than you could possibly teach them. We owe it to them to take a sincere interest in their progress and well being. By demonstrating this in subtle ways, we will go a long way towards maintaining an exciting class chemistry and a successful school.