A school counselor's relationships with the teachers in their building are so important for student success. These ideas from Chelsey, Rebecca, Brandy, and Laura will definitely help you build strong relationships with teachers this year.

Connecting with Teachers

Connecting with teachers is so important, but with all of the other responsibilities we have, it can quickly go by the wayside. One of the biggest ways I have built relationships with the teachers at my school is simply by being around them. It can be easy to stay secluded in my office all day, but I try to make my presence known. Some easy ways I do this are:

taking a quick lap through the halls at the beginning and end of the day,
eating lunch in the teacher’s lounge, and stopping in their rooms to say “Hi!”
participating in any “extra” staff activities that happen, like a holiday gift exchange or staff breakfast.

The more I am around the teachers and the more I talk to them, the more they get to know me and trust me. This trust then allows us to work well together to benefit our students and our school as a whole.

Be Inclusive & Purposeful

Hang out with them! I’ve always loved building personal relationships with my teachers. I have coordinated ultimate frisbee games, after-school walks around the track, book clubs, after-work get-togethers, etc.

I send around a social sign up at the beginning of the year because I never want to have an “in” group and and “out” group. Anyone who signs up gets all the emails about what we’re doing for fun.

I also try to eat lunch where the teachers eat and trade around with them so that I spend time with all staff. We’re humans, and in most workplaces, people spend time together. At schools, we have to be more intentional about making connections because so much of our workday is spent either directly serving students or in meetings with very full agendas.

Recognize Them

Connecting with teachers is critical to maintaining positive staff morale and securing buy-in for your counseling program.

In addition to a coffee-and-cocoa bar around the holidays and during testing season, I like to leave random notes and treats in their mailboxes.

Once a year, I send around a shout-out folder, which always brings out all the feels of the school.

I absolutely love to decorate the lounge with motivational quotes, jokes, and self-care challenges. I want teachers to get a smile every time they walk into the lounge.

Finally, during professional development and faculty meetings, I will bring out games that only teachers would understand. Any little thing I can do to make a teacher’s life just a little bit better is time well spent. I am so thankful for their service to our students.

Build Trust

My connections with teachers have always had a direct and dramatic impact on the students and families that I work with. Having them on board is the difference between a successful and failed intervention.

I dedicate a lot of purposeful time to supporting teachers and being someone they can count on to keep their promises.

One of my tried-and-true strategies is Morning Rounds. Just like doctors in a hospital, I pick a grade level or a classroom each morning and drop in. I check on specific students, strategies they are using, and general whole-class issues that might be popping up. I am careful not to walk away with a mile-long to-do list. I will give some suggestions or drop a resource in their mailbox that day.

Here are 8 more suggestions on building relationships with teachers.