How to Build Rapport with Teens

A teacher who establishes rapport with the taught, becomes one with them, learns more from them than he teaches them. - Mahatma Gandhi

Building rapport doesn’t come easy to everyone, especially when it comes to teens. Our ability to connect is impacted by our backgrounds, the setting and many other variables. The teen population is one group that will challenge you and throw hundreds of curveballs if you’re not prepared.

Working with teens requires a toolbox of conversation starters, body language observation and a lot of patience. We can’t connect with others, primarily teens, if we’re not fully aware of our own thoughts and feelings.

Here are a few tips to try or to pass along to fellow colleague and parents.

         Tip 1: Engage in parallel activities. Ex: Uno, word search, Jenga, funny video

         Tip 2: Allow your teen to ask you questions and respond genuinely.

         Tip 3: Ask open ended questions. Avoid questions that only require a “yes” or “no”.

         Tip 4: Create a vision board with your teen to aid in expression and creativity.

         Tip 5: Move around your environment to help with overstimulation.

The ability to create an environment where both parties feel seen and heard requires trial and error. Don’t allow pride or control to hinder you from making a solid connection. The statement “Rome wasn’t built in a day” holds true when building new relationships. Allow the small wins to guide you along the way. One thing we know about teens is that they live for the moment, just want to be comfortable and feel accepted. Find small moments to inspire, create and laugh with your teen. And as always, keep leading with love.