I’ve come to the conclusion that there is just one true key to successful behavior management and successful teaching. It doesn’t matter how many effective teaching skills and useful behavior strategies you have in your arsenal because without this, your efforts will eventually come unstuck. The secret ingredient, sadly neglected by many punishment-driven, hard-nosed dragons in the world of education, is the student-teacher relationship.

Children spend approximately 5 to 7 hours each day with a teacher for almost ten months a year. A positive relationship between the student and the teacher is difficult to establish, but can be found for both individuals at either end. The qualities for a positive relationship can vary to set a learning experience approachable and inviting for the students to learn. A teacher and student who have the qualities of good communications, respect in the classroom, and show interest in teaching from the point of view of the teacher and learning from the student will establish a positive relationship in the classroom.

Don’t underestimate the importance of this. It is central to your success in behavior management as well as essential to your ability to effectively reach your students, and if you do nothing but follow this advice alone, your skill in handling young people will improve beyond belief. You see, when you really get to know a student you become aware of their triggers – the things that upset them and cause all sorts of problems in class. And when you’re dealing with children that flare up for no apparent reason, this is invaluable knowledge. After all, stopping behavior problems from occurring is much easier when you know in advance what causes them.

You’ll no doubt be turned-off at the thought of reaching out and getting to know some of the unsavory characters you have to teach – the ones that ignore your instructions, swear and spit at you, laugh in your face or threaten you. But, it is better than the alternative – carrying on as you are, facing the same confrontational atmosphere day after day, which is not good for you or the child.

As for the rest of your students, getting to know them as individuals will help you learn their unique goals, needs, and interests. By discovering what makes each of your students unique, you will find that it is easier to develop lesson plans and assignments that are tailor-made for your group. By incorporating topics and activities of interest, it is much easier to capture students’ attention and actively engage them in the learning process.

Furthermore, if you show a genuine interest in your students, they will pick up on it and know that you truly care about them and their education. When you reach out and get to know any child in school you show them they’re valued as people. Once they learn this, their ability to take an active role in other positive relationships is improved; they fit in better and so are less likely to get into serious trouble.

Once you get to know them, anything is really possible; doors are opened to a whole new world of communication, cooperation, fun, and mutual respect. Spending some one-on-one time getting to know the class as individuals allows you to form a special connection with each and every one of your students; thus making it easier to detect and help them overcome their weaknesses. The situation with problem students will improve quickly and dramatically once you make the effort to get to know them as individuals as well, making the student-teacher relationship an extremely effective behavior management tool as well as teaching technique.

Candace Davies, President of A+ Resumes for Teachers, is a Certified Resume Writer, Interview Coach Strategist, and Author. She is dedicated to assisting teachers, administrators and other education professionals advance their careers easily, quickly and with less stress. She is also the author of 9 popular educational job search eBooks. Grab your free 35 page educator interview eBook and gain insider information on how to succeed at your next teacher interview: http://www.resumes-for-teachers.com/signup-details.php