How is it helpful to be relatable to your students?

Forming authentic, meaningful connections with your students is the foundation of effective teaching; it’s been the bedrock of teaching for millennia. However, that is far easier in a fifteen-person graduate seminar with PhD candidates than in an 800-seat large lecture course. Nevertheless, it’s important to find ways to keep yourself relatable to your students and help make sure they feel supported, connected, and can succeed in the course. In an article from Education Week, they found the following:

A Review of Educational Research analysis of 46 studies found that strong teacher-student relationships were associated in both the short- and long-term with improvements on practically every measure schools care about: higher student academic engagement, attendance, grades, fewer disruptive behaviors and suspensions, and lower school dropout rates. Those effects were strong even after controlling for differences in students’ individual, family, and school backgrounds.

Consequently, being relatable can be an important part of making sure students succeed in both your course and in their time here at UI.

How can you become more relatable to your students?

To become more relatable to your students in a large course like this, you won’t have as many one-to-one interactions. However, you can still incorporate many things that will help you be approachable and relatable to your students, which we’ll list below:

• Share Personal Stories: Incorporate personal anecdotes and stories related to the subject matter or your own educational journey. Sharing personal experiences can make you more relatable and help students connect with the material on a deeper level.
• Use Relevant Examples: Utilize examples and illustrations that are relatable to your students’ experiences and interests. Relating course concepts to real-life scenarios, current events, or popular culture can make the content more accessible and relatable.
• Be Approachable: Create an approachable and open atmosphere in the classroom. Encourage questions, discussions, and feedback. Provide multiple avenues for communication, such as office hours, email, or online platforms, where students can easily reach out to you.
• Active Listening: Practice active listening by giving your full attention to students when they speak or ask questions. Show respect for their perspectives, validate their concerns, and respond thoughtfully. This helps students feel heard and valued.
• Use Humor: Appropriate use of humor can create a positive and engaging learning environment. Incorporate relevant and light-hearted humor to ease tension, create a sense of camaraderie, and make the learning experience more enjoyable.
• Relate Course Material to Students’ Lives: Emphasize the practical relevance of the course material to students’ lives, career aspirations, or future goals. Connect the concepts to real-world applications and highlight how the knowledge gained in your course can be useful beyond the classroom.
• Be Mindful of Diversity: Recognize and appreciate the diversity of your student population. Be inclusive in your language, teaching materials, and examples to ensure that all students can see themselves represented and valued in the classroom.
• Continuous Improvement: Seek feedback from your students on your teaching methods, course materials, and overall classroom experience. Use this feedback to make adjustments and improvements to better meet their needs and enhance relatability.

What results can you expect from becoming more relatable?

There are a number of ways that being relatable can help your students succeed in the course. Here are several:

• Engagement and Attention: When professors are relatable, students are more likely to feel connected and engaged with the course material. Relatability helps to establish a rapport between the students and the professor, making it easier for students to pay attention and stay focused during lectures. This can lead to increased interest in the subject matter and a higher level of participation in class discussions.
• Approachability and Accessibility: Students may have questions or concerns about the course material, assignments, or exams. When professors are relatable, students feel more comfortable approaching them for clarification or assistance. Relatable professors create an open and inclusive learning environment where students feel encouraged to seek help and support when needed.
• Motivation and Inspiration: Relatable professors can serve as role models and sources of inspiration for students. When students can relate to their professors and see their success and enthusiasm for the subject matter, it can motivate them to work harder and strive for their own academic achievements. Relatable professors can share personal stories, challenges, and successes that resonate with students, helping them see the possibilities and potential in their own educational journey.
• Building Trust and Rapport: Relatability fosters trust and rapport between students and professors. When students perceive their professors as relatable, they are more likely to trust their expertise and guidance. This trust can positively impact the learning environment, as students are more inclined to actively participate, share their perspectives, and take intellectual risks without fear of judgment or criticism.
• Enhancing Learning Outcomes: When students feel a connection with their professors, they are more likely to be invested in the learning process. Relatable professors can effectively communicate complex concepts in ways that resonate with students, making the material more accessible and understandable. This can lead to improved learning outcomes, increased retention of information, and a greater likelihood of academic success.

Where can you read more about how relatability can help you in your course?

We’ll list here many resources you can access for more information on relatability and how it can help in your course, both from a student and an instructor perspective.

The Power of Relatability – The Atlantic

Teacher-Student Relationships Matter – Harvard Graduate School of Education

If you would like to explore how you could use this in your course, please reach out to the Center for Teaching for assistance and guidance on how best to implement these activities.