Meaningful collaboration begins with connection. Relationships help people feel seen, supported, and comfortable working together. When students build trust and get to know one another, they are more likely to participate, take risks, and contribute to shared goals.
Students are frequently expected to collaborate without first developing the relationships that make collaboration possible. When students lack connection, they may withdraw, hesitate to contribute, or struggle to trust teammates.
Students:
hesitate to speak
work independently instead of together
avoid asking for help
struggle to trust teammates
Whatever approach you use, tell students why. Building relationships isn't separate from learning or teamwork—trust and connection create a foundation for communicating, contributing, and working effectively with others.
Many instructors support relationship-building through introductions, discussion protocols, collaborative activities, classroom norms, and informal conversations.
Consider:
How do students currently get to know one another in your course?
What opportunities exist for building trust before group work begins?
Which relationship-building practices are you already using?
Quick Activities — 5–15 minute, ready-to-use experiences.
Discussion Protocols — structured ways to help students talk, listen, share, or participate.
Ongoing Practices — routines or structures used repeatedly across several classes or weeks.
After trying a strategy, reflect on what you noticed and check in with students. What you learn can help you decide what to do next.
Ask yourself:
Did this create new or deeper connections among students?
Who seemed to connect easily? Who may still need another pathway in?
What might I repeat, change, or try next?
Optional student check:
I have opportunities in this class to build meaningful connections with other students.
Consider using the same question again later to notice whether students' experiences change.
Then decide:
Keep it → Adjust it → Choose again.
Want to explore relationship-building further? These resources offer additional ideas and tools.
Whole-Child Design | Student Relationship Structures
Explore how intentional structures create time and space for relationships among students and adults to flourish.
Principled Innovation | Listening for Understanding
Practice active listening and perspective taking to help others feel valued, heard, and understood.
CASEL | Belonging and Emotional Safety
Explore how trusting relationships and responsive classroom practices create conditions for belonging and emotional safety.