NOTE: This is Part 3 of our series on how to stay motivated + engaged with online learning. Check out our previous posts for more information on (1) setting up an ideal study environment at home and (2) how to stay focused and engaged in online classes.

Students’ relationships with their teachers can have a huge impact on their performance in school!

These connections can affect everything from their interest in the material and engagement in class to their motivation to complete assignments and willingness to ask questions…all of which are essential for students to succeed in online classes.

Unfortunately, the virtual learning environment and lack of face-to-face interactions this year have made it more difficult than ever for students to feel personally connected with their teachers.

 But while it is certainly more difficult to connect with teachers in an online environment, it’s not impossible!

 If you are willing to take a more proactive approach, you can still find ways to create great relationships with your teachers this year, even if you never meet them in person. 

 Here are some ideas to help get you started…

9 Tips for students

1. Learn more about your teacher. Many teachers share a few “fun facts” about themselves in their syllabus and/or their lecture slides from the first day of class, and also have bio pages on the school’s website and/or on LinkedIn with more details about their professional background. Knowing a little bit about their backgrounds and how they got into teaching can help them feel more like “real” people, and may reveal some common interests you could talk about or questions you could ask them…for example, if they attended a college you’re interested in, you could consider asking them what it was like to be a student there.

2. Ask how they like to communicate. Some teachers might be more responsive to emails, while others might get back to you quicker in Google Classroom or through Remind messages. They might indicate in the syllabus what they prefer, but if they don’t, you could ask them during your next class. If you know how each of your teachers likes to communicate and reach out to them in that format, it will be much faster and easier to get in touch with them outside of class.

3. Be responsive. Responding promptly to any messages your teacher sends you (even if it’s just to say “thank you”) will reassure them that you got the message and show them that you’re a responsible student who is trying your best to stay on top of things. This will also build up goodwill with your teacher so if you DO forget an assignment or miss an email at some point later in the semester, they will realize it was an accident and be more forgiving.

4. Be (visibly) engaged. If you’re attending classes online, it’s easy to show up a few minutes late, or turn your video off during the session. This might not seem like a big deal…but if you were the teacher, what would YOU assume about a student who was on mute with their video turned off? They could still be engaged, but without SEEING what they are doing, you have no way of knowing (and will probably assume the worst). Making an effort to show up on camera and show your teacher that you’re paying attention and engaged in the class by nodding, smiling, etc. in response to the lesson will go a long way towards building a personal connection with your teacher.

5. Participate in class. Actively participating in class by asking questions and contributing to discussions will not only show your teacher that you’re interested and engaged in the class, it will also help YOU stay focused during long days of online classes. With some online platforms like Zoom, you might even have the option to send direct messages that ONLY the teacher will see if you want to ask them something without interrupting and don’t feel comfortable sharing it with the entire class.

6. Attend (virtual) office hours. Many teachers in online classes are providing virtual office hours this semester for students to get additional support out of class. These are optional so a lot of students don’t show up…which means that if you take the time to attend even once or twice, it can give your teacher a positive impression of you and show them that you really care about their class! Even if you don’t have any questions about the material, you can still show up to say “hi” and ask if they have any advice about how to succeed in their class.

7. Address problems proactively. If you are having trouble understanding the material or realize you have missed an assignment, reaching out immediately instead of waiting for your teacher to say something will show them that you are a mature and responsible student who is trying your best. Students often avoid talking with teachers when problems arise…but approaching potential issues head-on can be a great way to develop a closer relationship with your teacher and show them that you really care about doing a good job in their class.

8. Adopt a growth mindset. If you’re not doing well in a class yet, instead of blaming the teacher (or yourself!) try to figure out ways you can get better results by changing the approach you’ve been taking to the class. Sometimes the answer will be obvious (e.g. show up, put your phone away, and take notes during class). If you’re not sure what to do differently, try asking your teacher for their advice about how to improve…then take the next step to actually apply their advice and follow up to let them know how it went. Most teachers love advising students and will be happy (and impressed!) that you came to them for help instead of giving up on the class or trying to struggle through it on your own.

9. Say “thank you”! Teachers have had to put in a LOT of extra time and effort this year to adjust to the online learning environment, on top of all the work they already do outside of school. They may not be doing a perfect job, but letting them know that you appreciate their hard work is a great way to show that you care. Sending them a quick “thank you” message or staying after class to ask how they’re doing just takes a few minutes, and can literally become the highlight of their day!

As academic coaches, one of our objectives is to encourage students to take advantage of all the resources their school has to offer…and creating great relationships with teachers is one of the best places to start!

I hope these tips help give you and your student some ideas for how to connect with your teachers more effectively this year, whether they are attending classes in person or online. 

Do YOU have any other tips for ways you and/or your student have been able to successfully connect with teachers so far this year? I’d love to hear what is working for you!

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About The Author

Dr. Maggie Wray is a certified ADHD Coach & Academic Life Coach with a Ph.D. in Neurobiology and Behavior from Cornell and a Bachelor’s degree in Astrophysics from Princeton. She founded Creating Positive Futures in 2012 to help high school and college students learn how to earn better grades with less stress. Her team of dedicated coaches is on a mission to empower students to develop the mindset, organization, time management, and study skills they need to achieve their goals.