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

As a high school substitute teacher, you must build relationships with students that are respectful, positive, fun, empathetic, and supportive of learning. In a word, building rapport helps you “connect” with students.

When you have 20+ students in one class, making quick connections can be a challenge. Many techniques to build relationships with students are universal, but how you deploy them can be tailored for different grade levels. 

Benefits of building student-teacher relationships.

As a substitute teacher, you’ll build rapport with different students with each job you accept. The most critical reason you want to connect with your students in a healthy, respectful way is to create a safe environment. However, there are other benefits: 

• When you assign lessons and activities, students will trust you and feel you have their best interests at heart. When they trust you, they are more likely to follow your instructions. 

• When rapport is built, students feel more comfortable participating in group discussions, answering questions, and having general conversations. 

• Students become more excited to learn new things and may find enjoyment in group and individual projects. 

• Students will experience less anxiety and more confidence in their learning. They can also experience the rewards and good feelings that come with accomplishing a goal. 

In a study on the consequences of student-teacher rapport, researchers found that a lack of rapport can lead to anxiety, stress, and aggressiveness in students. On the other hand, positive rapport leads to higher engagement in learning and participation in activities. They also found that students show increased retention, achievement, and overall academic success. 

Initial steps for building rapport.

Whether you teach high school for one day or a whole semester, make incremental efforts in building relationships with students. You can’t expect students to connect with you after a few minutes of introductions. Instead, start with the following: 

Learn all the students’ names. Then, find opportunities to call them by their names. Ice-breaker activities are fun ways to learn student names. 

Be ready for the students when they arrive. Avoid being late or leaving early, so you can spend extra time connecting with students. 

Use positive language when communicating with students. If you speak negatively, they will think it’s okay for them to do so. 

Compliment or praise students. It can be for appropriate behaviors, comments, and positive interactions. 

Have fun in class when appropriate. Substitute teaching doesn’t have to be serious all the time. Learning can be fun. Students will remember the good times you shared in class. 

Secondary steps to build rapport: techniques.

Secondary steps are the techniques you’ll use to make connections with students. These techniques go beyond surface, like learning their names or giving them compliments. The goal now is to know each other better. 

One-on-one conversations. 

If you substitute teach in a class for a longer term, you’ll have opportunities to get to know the students better individually and as a group. 

If a student arrives early or lingers behind after class, ask them questions. The information you gather can help you find ways to relate to them personally and when teaching lessons. You can use real-world applications they can relate to when you know more about their life. 

Ask for help. 

Asking for help from students is a great way to get them involved in an activity. Being an assistant to the teacher can be fun, while building trust between you and the student. 

• Ask a student to run an errand. 

• Ask a student to be your co-teacher for a fun activity. 

• Ask for feedback on how today’s lesson went. 

• Ask them to brainstorm on a project. 

While asking for help won’t build immediate rapport with the entire class, it can help bridge gaps between you and students who seem less interested in learning. 

Appropriate sharing.

Substitute teachers can share personal information with students if it is appropriate. Talking about hobbies, interests, or family will give students insight into your world. They will see you as more than just a substitute teacher. This will help them connect with you on some level. 

• You may enjoy the same hobbies. 

• You may have traveled to the same places—even restaurants or nearby points of interest (zoo, museum, etc). 

• You may have a funny story about a pet, sharing it may remind a student of their own funny pet story. 

Be honest when sharing, but also avoid sharing too much information. While your intentions may be good, high school students may take some information and apply it to themselves. 

• Never share intimate relationship information. 

• Don’t talk about the parties you attended in college. 

• Avoid sharing stories about the people you dated. 

Follow through. 

Nothing can damage trust and rapport more than failing to do what you promised. Don’t make promises that are unrealistic or inappropriate. For example, never promise a student you will meet them somewhere outside of school, bring them a special gift, or accept a special gift. 

Instead, follow through with things you know you can do and that benefit the student or class, such as: 

• Allow some free time if all students turn in their homework on time. 

• Allow students to choose the type of activity to use in a lesson plan. 

• Uphold negative consequences for inappropriate classroom behaviors. 

When you follow through, you show students they can trust and rely on you. When students struggle, this will make it easier for them to reach out for help. 

Acknowledge when students are right. 

High school students may not express their opinions when disagreeing with their teacher. They may be nervous that you take it as an argument, or they will receive a lower grade if they disagree with an adult. 

As a substitute teacher, you significantly impact the lives of students. It is essential to acknowledge the times when they are correct, even if that means you must apologize for being wrong. Modeling what to do when you make a mistake will show students it’s okay to be wrong or right. 

Treat them with respect. 

High school students are young adults who will soon enter the real world. Therefore, you should not treat them like children. Instead, talk to them at a high school or above level. Be honest with them, encourage them to work at their potential, and give them credit when it is due. 

Treating high school students like young adults may include the following: 

• When engaging students, allow for more complex discussions and debates. Show them that you recognize and appreciate their intellect. 

• Remember that discussions should follow lesson plans and not include the substitute teacher’s opinions. 

• Allow students to work independently if they prefer it or in well-defined small groups. High school students know how they learn best, and you can show respect by allowing them to choose how they want to complete an activity or assignment. 

Grow as a substitute teacher with Kelly Education.

Thinking about working at the high school level? You might also check out guidance in these articles: 

• Pro tips for substitute teaching in high school 

• Sub plans and tips for substitute teachers in 9 elective and core subjects 

• Top lesson plans for substitute teachers in middle school and high school 

If you’re interested in beginning a fulfilling career as a substitute teacher, we’d love to talk to you! 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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