It is quite clear, as one of my other postings this week explains, that connected teacher-student relationships enhance learning. In this article published by Harvard Business Impact, the author, focusing on college students, argues that “Great Teachers Make Students Feel noticed.” Relationship is actually more important to learning than any particular teaching technique or curriculum initiative. That principle applies with equal force to law professor-student relationships. In fact, every focus group with which we met in connection with What the Best Law Teachers Do (2013), emphasized the critical role their professor’s respect, investment in them, care, etc. played in them being motivated to work hard, in persisting when things because challenging, and success. Today’s students, as my title for this posting suggests, express this principle when they say they want to “be seen” by their professors. What does seeing students look like in law school classes?  Below are eight possibilities.  Please comment if you have additional ideas . . .

• Certainly, knowing students’ names and making the effort to learn to properly pronounce their names are a baseline. Greeting each student by name as they enter the classroom, especially on the first day and whenever the professor calls on a student is important.
• Knowing students’ interests, especially as future lawyers, can also make difference. Thus, for example, some of the people we studied for What the Best Law Teachers Do made it a practice not only asked students to disclose why they are in law school and at least one thing the students want their professor to know about them, but also to respond individually to what the students shared.
• Never assuming that students are unprepared for underprepared for class for bar faith reasons helps foster relationship. The opposite can be a deal breaker. Instead, as I suggested in a prior tax prof blog Teaching Tidbit, professors can asked such students what the professor can do to better inspire them to prepare for class.

• Celebrating great student insights during class discussion.
• Knowing what is going on for your students (other exams, an upcoming wedding, an ill loved one), acknowledging those things, and expressing support (privately for matters students regard as private) can make a big difference.
• Similarly, noticing when a student seems to be feeling out-of-sorts and asking if the professor can help. Even asking how students are doing and inviting them to respond either in class or privately communicates connectedness.
• Disclosing mistakes and professional setbacks lessons (but cannot eliminate) the inherent hierarchy in the relationship.
• Anything else that acknowledges a student’s individuality and gives students the sense that you are invested in them.