The Benefits Of Teaching Relationship Skills

Author: Antoinette Morris

Posted: 25 Sep 2023

Estimated time to read: 4 mins

Learn more about the CASEL competency 'Relationship Skills' and how it helps students maintain healthy relationships and collaborate effectively.

Building strong relationship skills is a vital aspect of the CASEL framework, enabling students to establish and maintain healthy relationships, collaborate effectively and resolve conflicts. By nurturing relationship skills, educators can create a positive and supportive learning environment where students thrive both academically and socially. 

Why are relationship skills important in the classroom?

Environment: Positive relationships between teachers and students foster a welcoming and safe classroom atmosphere. When students feel respected, valued and cared for, they are more likely to feel comfortable expressing themselves and taking risks in their learning.

Engagement: Building strong relationships with students can increase their engagement and motivation to learn. When students have a personal connection with their teacher, they are more likely to be attentive in class and participate actively.

Management: A teacher's ability to manage the classroom effectively often depends on their relationship skills. Students are more likely to follow the rules and expectations that have been set when they have a positive rapport with the teacher.

Support: Every student is unique and may have different learning needs and challenges. A teacher who has strong relationships with their students can better understand these individual differences and provide targeted support, whether it's academic, emotional or behavioural.

Communication: Effective communication is essential for teaching and learning. Teachers with strong relationship skills can communicate more clearly and empathetically with their students, ensuring that instructions are understood and feedback is received positively.

Trust: Trust and respect are an important foundation in any educational setting. Teachers establish trust and mutual respect when they build positive relationships with students, which leads to more open and honest communication.

Behaviour: Students who feel a sense of connection and belonging in the classroom are less likely to engage in disruptive behaviour. Strong relationships can prevent and mitigate behavioral issues by addressing their root causes.

Strategies for building relationship skills 

Building relationship skills in the classroom is crucial for creating a positive and productive learning environment. Here are some practical strategies that teachers can use to build strong relationships with their students:

Get to know your students: Take time to learn about each student's interests, hobbies and background to help kick start that connection. These icebreakers are a good place to start, then follow up with our free resources for getting to know your students.  

Encourage active listening: Model active listening yourself by showing genuine interest in what your students have to say. Even little things like nodding along and establishing eye contact can make all the difference to how listened to your students feel. 

Build trust: Establishing trust with your students is one of the most crucial things you can do as a teacher. Be consistent and fair in your responses to things, keep any promises you make to your students and own up and apologise when you do something wrong. Nobody is perfect and it's important for your students to learn that by example!


Use positive reinforcement: Acknowledging and praising students for their efforts and achievements sets a great example for how to treat others. Offer specific and constructive feedback to help your students improve and give chances for them to give their own feedback so they feel heard too.


Set up team activities: Your students will find it much harder to form relationships with each other if they don't get a chance to work together. Organise team-building activities or class projects that require cooperation and communication between students, but keep these ungraded to relieve any pressure associated with group marking (we've all been put into a group project and panicked about a mark before, don't do the same to your students!). 

Remember that building strong relationships with students is an ongoing process that requires time and effort. By implementing these practical strategies consistently, teachers can create a positive and supportive classroom environment where students feel valued, respected and motivated to learn.

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