How to build relationships with students as a middle school substitute teacher.

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Substitute teaching middle school students is rewarding work! When you take the time to build relationships with students, you can see them grow and develop.

Middle school students are at a stage of transition and are working to understand their own identities and independence. As a substitute teacher, quickly building appropriate, supportive relationships can improve student outcomes.

Building rapport with students.

Middle school students are still working to understand who they are and who they want to be. They may experience new emotions, feel resistant to authority, or be dealing with tough peer dynamics. Finding ways to connect will show you care and are there to provide support and encouragement.

Try putting these tips into action to help build relationships with students:

Whenever possible, use each student’s name. While this can be difficult as a substitute teacher, making an effort shows you’re interested in getting to know them.

Share about your interests. Connect over hobbies, sports, or local events. Let them get to know you a little. They may be more inclined to open up to you. Remember to never overshare about your personal or family circumstances.

Be patient. They are balancing new expectations for behavior and academic performance, and need some grace and understanding.

Be consistent. It can take some time to build trust and authenticity with ‘tween students, take repeat assignments at their school to gain trust.

Establish structure from the start.

Students need a healthy balance of structure and freedom. As a substitute teacher, some students might test your boundaries. It’s important to hold the line for classroom management, even when it’s difficult.

Try these tips to uphold a strong classroom structure with your middle school students:

When correcting student misbehavior, be firm and consistent. Then return to your upbeat personality. Doing so can help middle schoolers see that the correction is about the behavior — not about them as a person.

Stick to the rules. We get it — it can be tempting to be the teacher who lets misbehaviors slide to win the favor of your students. Doing so can lead to constant boundary-pushing, which can make it tough to manage your class.

Follow through. If you tell a student that you’re going to leave a note for their classroom teacher about their behavior, do it. If you give a student a warning and they continue a behavior, make sure you follow through with a consequence.

Be confident. When you enter the room confident, prepared, and ready to accomplish the day’s tasks, students are more likely to feel comfortable and secure with following your lead. If you’re not confident, fake it ’til you make it.

Engagement through fun.

Making class fun can help you build rapport with your students while they’re working through the day’s objective. Incorporating games, interactive activities, and hands-on learning can make it easier for your students to have a positive classroom experience.

Try these easy activities to help your students engage in the day’s lesson:

Four corners: Name each corner of the room as A, B, C, or D. Ask students a multiple-choice question, then tell them to move to the corner that represents their answer. Once they’re in their corners, ask students to explain the reasoning behind their answers.

Think-pair-share: Ask students to get into pairs. Tell them that the older student of the pair is student A, the younger is student B. Ask a question, then give student A 60 seconds to explain their answer to student B. Pause, then ask the partners to switch. After the two minutes pass, call on a student to share their partner’s answer with the class.

Emotional sensitivity and social dynamics.

Middle school students often navigate friendship dynamics, academic pressure, crushes, and family issues. At this age, it’s normal for students to show higher levels of emotional sensitivity. Providing reassurance, like giving a student an encouraging word or thanking the class for their hard work, can help keep both individual students and the classroom on track.

It’s also important to be aware of social dynamics in the classroom.

Bullying, exclusion, and other negative social behaviors can escalate in middle school.

Pay close attention to how students treat each other.

Take student complaints about bullying and teasing seriously.

Connecting with your students will not only build trust, but also make the learning environment more productive.

Grow your skills as a substitute teacher.

Want more middle school substitute teacher tips? Check out these articles for more guidance:

At Kelly Education, we’re here to help you develop a fulfilling, flexible career as a substitute teacher. We’d love to talk with you if you’re considering this important work in our schools. Fill out our brief interest form, and one of our recruiters will contact you to answer your questions and help you get started.

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