Building Professional Relationships During Student Teaching: Tips for Future Educators

Forming professional relationships in the classroom can be one of the most rewarding and sometimes challenging parts of student teaching. As a future educator, learning how to collaborate with other adults, including paraprofessionals, is essential for creating a supportive and effective learning environment.

This topic recently came up in our practicum class, and it resonates with many student teachers.

Today’s guest post is written by Anna Wadding, a senior Elementary and Special Education major at Grove City College, who shares her real-world experiences and practical tips for working with paraprofessionals during student teaching.

Building Professional Relationships Tip 1: Learning to Collaborate with Paraprofessionals in the Classroom

During my student teaching, I spent eight weeks in a first-grade classroom and another eight weeks in a combined 2nd and 4th-grade Life Skills Support classroom. In both placements, I had the opportunity to work closely with paraprofessionals, from whom I learned a great deal.

First Grade Experience

In the first-grade classroom, two paraprofessionals visited daily for approximately 30 minutes during reading intervention. They worked with small groups of students on targeted reading skills. While I didn’t interact with them extensively due to our group separation, I learned a valuable lesson:

Students need to understand that paraprofessionals have the same authority as the teacher.

My cooperating teacher consistently reinforced this by reminding students to respect and listen to the paras, and she empowered the paras to use classroom management strategies when needed.

Life Skills Support Experience

In the Life Skills Support classroom, I worked much more closely with two paraprofessionals who were present throughout the day. They assisted with lunch, specials, and classroom activities. I quickly realized that:

• Some paraprofessionals are more enthusiastic and proactive than others.

• Building rapport with them makes a huge difference in classroom collaboration.

By taking the time to get to know them, asking about their lives and the reasons behind their career choices, and simply showing genuine interest, they became more eager to support me and the students. I saw this modeled beautifully by my cooperating teacher, whose strong relationships with the paras created a positive and productive classroom culture.

Building Professional Relationships Tip 2: Adults in the Classroom

Whether you're working with paraprofessionals, aides, or other support staff, here are some student teaching tips to help you build strong professional relationships:

• Lend a hand: Offer to help with small tasks like bulletin boards or data tracking.

• Start conversations: Don’t be afraid to introduce yourself and ask questions.

• Observe and learn: Watch how your mentor teacher interacts with other adults and take notes on what works.

Building Professional Relationships Tip 3: Small Gestures Make a Big Impact

Sometimes, all it takes is a simple conversation or a helping hand to build meaningful relationships with the adults in your classroom. These connections not only make your student teaching experience smoother but also help create a more cohesive and supportive environment for your students.

What are some ways you’ve built relationships with adults in your classroom? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Meet the Author: Anna Wadding

Hi! I’m Anna Wadding, a senior Elementary/Special Education major at Grove City College. I completed my student teaching in Fall 2018 and am just a few credits away from becoming a certified educator. I’m originally from Long Island, New York, and I love spending time with my family, taking my dogs to the beach, and playing with my little cousins.