Building strong connections in the classroom is more than just being a “nice” teacher. It’s about intentional moments the build trust, a sense of safety, and help students feel loved, seen, and valued. Connection is the foundation for creating a thriving learning environment. In this post, we’ll explore how connection can transform your classroom culture and enhance student engagement.

It All Starts with Connection

Creating a thriving classroom culture isn’t just about rules or routines—it’s about building meaningful connections.

In my last post, I introduced the Three C’s that are key to fostering an engaging classroom culture: connection, camaraderie, and critical thinking. If you missed it, you can catch up here.

Today, we’re going to explore the first C—Connection—and dive into what it truly looks like in your classroom.

Connection begins when students feel a genuine sense of familiarity with their teacher and classmates—when they feel known and seen for who they truly are.

Feeling seen means more than being noticed; it’s about feeling understood. It’s that moment when someone “gets” you.

When students experience this kind of connection, their confidence grows. They feel safe, accepted, and comfortable in the classroom. And it’s within that emotional safety that learning can truly begin to flourish.

“It’s within that emotional safety that learning can truly begin to flourish.”

Everyone wants to feel seen, no matter their age.

It’s a powerful feeling, especially for those who constantly struggle with feeling different.

When a student feels seen, they also feel safe, loved, and valued.

Creating that kind of environment opens the door to meaningful growth.

Humans are wired for connection. When I was in school, my favorite teachers were the ones who built relationships with me or shared stories about their own lives. It helped me feel connected to them, like they were inviting me into their world. When it came to my classmates, there wasn’t much connection outside of my personal friendships. And when those friendships were struggling, I found myself disengaged from learning altogether.

My favorite teachers were the ones who built relationships with me or shared stories about their own lives. It helped me feel connected to them, like they were inviting me into their world.

In fact, this need for connection is something I experienced firsthand in my own classroom.I had a fourth-grade student who often said disrespectful things to me, making teaching a real challenge. After attending a conference in Washington D.C, I heard a speaker talk about giving students morning hugs. She explained that we never truly know what kind of morning a child has had, and for some, a simple hug from their teacher could make all the difference.

Inspired by this, I started offering morning hugs or high-fives every morning. I would stand at the front of the room, and the kids would line up to either hug or high-five me. To my surprise, my most challenging student couldn’t wait to give me a hug, and he’d squeeze me so tight! Believe it or not, from that moment on, he never gave me any more trouble. Every morning, he’d try to be the first in line for that hug. And I realized that was all he needed—a moment of connection, a moment of love.

Teacher and student hugging for a moment of connection.

That experience shifted everything for me. I began to see how even the smallest moments could have the biggest impact. It wasn’t about grand gestures—it was about being intentional in the ways I connected with my students every single day.

So How Do you Build Connection in the Classroom?

The way you build connections in the classroom is through your culture of care.

A culture of care is rooted in building strong relationships and creating a space where everyone takes responsibility for looking out for one another, including themselves. This kind of connection doesn’t just happen because you’re a nice teacher; it’s intentional. It’s built through small, consistent habits that strengthen bonds and help students feel genuinely connected and supported.

When students feel all of that, they're more likely to engage academically because they trust the environment around them. And the best part? A culture of care benefits every student, not just those who struggle with behavior or face challenges at home.

Connection Doesn’t Happen Just Because Your Nice

It has to be intentional. There are small, consistent habits you can build into your mornings that help foster connection. For example:

Greet your students each day with a hug, a high-five, or a handshake while saying something like, “I’m so happy to see you today.” (Shoutout to the Montessori school I taught at for that one!)

This simple routine starts your students’ day with warmth and gives them a sense of safety and love.

Build Connection with Morning Rituals

Another easy habit is giving students a few minutes at the start of the day to talk to each other. Let them get out their chatter and connect. Not only does this help build relationships, it also encourages camaraderie—something I’ll dive into in my next post.

Some fun ways to make it engaging include:

Asking a prompt like, “What’s your favorite food?”
Have students walk around the room and give everyone a high five.

It’s a fun way to kick off the day with good energy. And who doesn’t love a high five!?

Acknowledge Acts of Kindness

Some additional daily habits to help build connection include acknowledging acts of kindness when you see them. For instance:

“Thank you, Devon, for picking up that pencil for Abbie. That was really kind of you.”

Recognizing these small actions not only shows your students what kindness looks like, but it also reinforces your expectations for it. It reminds them that even the smallest gestures matter.

Class Meetings: A Powerful Way to Connect

Class meetings are another great way to foster connection. You can hold them once a day or once a week, depending on what works best for your class. For example:

Host a meeting on Fridays to reflect on the week and allow students to share their thoughts and experiences.
Starting the week with a Monday meeting to set a positive tone.

Make sure to establish that it’s a safe space where students can share both positive experiences and challenges from the week. Students love having the opportunity to share, and this is a great way to make them feel safe doing so.

During these meetings, encourage students to:

Give shout-outs to their peers for something positive they’ve noticed or for working hard throughout the week.

This practice is an excellent way to ensure students feel seen and valued.

Emotional Connection Fuels Learning

When students feel emotionally connected and supported, they are more likely to engage in their learning. Consistency in these daily habits shows students that they are cared for and that they can trust the environment, which allows them to let their guard down and open up.

Of course, there will always be exceptions—those who may thrive in a less supportive environment. But you have to ask yourself:

Do you want your students to grow not only academically but also as humans and leaders?
Do you want to teach them about kindness and help them develop an awareness of how their actions or small acts of kindness impact others?

Remember, a culture of care benefits every student—not just those who struggle with behavior or have challenges at home. Every student needs to feel connected at school. They’re spending around six hours a day in the classroom, so trust me, they need that connection.

Why Connection is Essential for Everyone

Think about it this way: What if you went to work every day and felt disconnected from your coworkers or administration? Some of you may have experienced that, and I know I certainly have. It’s a terrible feeling. It makes it harder to do your job because you feel unhappy in the relationships around you. You don’t feel seen and supported.

Now, imagine being a student who doesn’t feel comfortable in your classroom, who doesn’t feel safe, seen, or loved. How is that student supposed to feel comfortable asking questions, collaborating with peers, or taking risks and struggling?

Busting Myths About a Culture of Care

There might be a misconception that building a culture of care means being too soft with your students or not challenging them enough—like you’re creating a classroom full of overly sensitive children. However, a culture of care is not about coddling; it’s about the genuine care and support you provide for your students.

It’s about intentionally building connections:

Between you and your students
Between students and each other
Between students and themselves

When students build a relationship with themselves, they’re learning to show self-kindness, patience, and self-awareness. It’s like planting seeds for empathy. And when we help students speak to themselves with compassion, even when they make mistakes, we’re also helping them develop a growth mindset.

That belief that they can learn and grow plays a big role in how they treat others, too. A strong culture of care is the stepping stone to a strong learning culture.

Come Back to Your Teacher Heart

One of the most incredible things about teachers is your heart. A culture of care often comes naturally because you truly care about your students.

But with everything being piled onto your plate, it’s easy for that part to get buried under the stress, expectations, and endless to-do lists.

Sometimes connection takes a backseat—not because you don’t care, but because you’re doing so much.

So let this be your reminder: come back to your teacher heart. Start there. That’s where the magic begins.

But What If I Don’t Have Time?

You might be wondering:

How am I supposed to build meaningful connections when I have 30 students and barely enough time to get through my lessons?
What if a student doesn’t respond to my efforts?
Am I supposed to set aside extra time each day to just focus on connection?
Does this take away from learning?

These are all valid questions.

But here’s something to consider:

Think about your administration for a moment. What if they said:

“How am I supposed to connect with teachers when I have so much on my plate?”

How would that make you feel?

Would it motivate you to do your job better, or would it leave you feeling disconnected, unappreciated, and maybe even a little discouraged?

Now flip it.

Think about how it feels when your administration does take the time to connect with you—when you feel seen, heard, and valued.

That connection fuels your confidence, your motivation, and your sense of belonging.

The same applies to your students.

Relationships don’t take away from learning, they lay the foundation for it.

Connecting with your students is essential for their growth and engagement. And no—it doesn’t take away from valuable learning time.

You can build these connections during the daily routines, even if it’s just for a few minutes.

It’s about creating moments where students feel valued, understood, and part of something bigger than just a classroom.

Keep Connection Going All Year

As we’ve seen, building strong connections in the classroom is a vital foundation, but it’s not something you establish once and then move on.

Connection is ongoing. It needs to be nurtured throughout the school year.

It works hand in hand with building camaraderie and fostering a learning culture. These aren’t separate phases to be checked off one by one—they’re all interwoven, constantly developing together.

Building strong connections naturally supports the growth of unity and collaboration in the classroom.

That’s where team culture comes in. In my next post, we’ll explore how you can cultivate camaraderie through team culture, ensuring that your students work together as a unified group while continuing to strengthen the connections they’ve already built.

Building Connections and What’s Next

As we’ve seen, building strong connections in the classroom is a vital foundation, but it’s not something you establish once and then move on from.

Connection is ongoing and needs to be nurtured throughout the school year.

It works hand in hand with building camaraderie and fostering a learning culture. These aren’t separate phases to be checked off one by one—they’re all interwoven, constantly developing together.

Once connection is strong, it naturally supports the growth of unity and collaboration in the classroom. That’s where team culture comes in. In my next post, I’ll dive deeper into how team culture can further enhance these connections, fostering a classroom where camaraderie thrives.

Reflect and Take Action

Building a strong culture of care starts with connection—connection with your students, with their peers, and with themselves. It’s not something you do once a and check off the list; it’s an ongoing, intentional process. By nurturing these relationships, you lay the groundwork for a classroom where students feel safe, seen, loved, and valued, which in turn supports their academic growth.

Take a moment to reflect on your current culture of care. How can you improve the connections you have with your students, the connections between your students, and the way they connect with themselves? Identify a few small, actionable strategies you can start implementing today—whether it’s greeting students with a smile, praising acts of kindness, or taking a moment each day for them to bond with each other.

Make a conscious effort to foster those little moments of connection every day, and watch how they transform your classroom.

The Power of Connection: Building a Thriving Classroom Culture