Relationship Building
We are in difficult times. We are all adjusting to new realities and expectations. Students especially are often under increasing pressure. While we all deal with stress in different ways – it is important for us as educators to do what we can to reduce the level of stress in our student populations. One of the key steps is to establish positive relationships. Without establishing positive relationships with our students we will simply be a delivery system for curriculum.
To enhance communication and relationship building skills, we must first recognize the value of committing time and energy to this area. Staff who understand the importance of relationships tend to engage their students by welcoming them into the building or classroom, learning their names quickly and gathering information about them. We need to show we are all committed to meeting not only students academic needs, but also their social and emotional needs.
Scot Graden's Blog 
I could not agree more. My former principal taught me about the importance of developing relationships with students. There was not a day when he did not greet each student at the door or call them to find out where they were if they were absent. He had a way of making every student feel like they were not just a student, but they were part of a family when they were at school.
Communication, trust, and respect were stressed. He took great care to make sure the physical and emotional needs of the students were met before we ever asked them to learn.
Sometimes educators get so caught up in making sure their students are learning that they forget the importance of getting to know their students. I dedicate time at the beginning of each quarter to start getting to know my students and to give them a chance to get to know each other. This helps get us off on the right foot.