Tips and tricks for building trust and repairing relationships in inclusive classrooms

Teaching activity summary

ABI-based tips and practical activities to create safe learning spaces and repair conflicts.

What

This tri-fold leaflet translates the ABI model of trust – ability, benevolence, and integrity – into everyday teaching moves and concise repair strategies that help turn classrooms into safer, more equitable spaces. It provides a practical framework for building credibility and fairness and for restoring relationships when conflict or miscommunication disrupts learning.

Why

Student trust in professors is strongly linked to satisfaction, a predictor of persistence and success (Hiatt et al. 2022). Trustworthy teaching blends demonstrable expertise and clear communication with reliability and ethical fairness; it is built through everyday practices such as honoring commitments, explaining grading transparently, avoiding favoritism, and expressing empathy. Repair is equally critical – reflective listening and paraphrasing concerns improve evaluations and reopen dialogue after miscommunication (Weger et al. 2014). Emotional-intelligence skills help instructors notice and regulate their own emotions and respond adaptively, which supports relationship repair in large, diverse courses (Brackett & Katulak 2006).

How

This leaflet offers ready-to-use moves for building trust and repairing relationships without a wholesale course redesign. Use it to open the term by sharing values and boundaries, normalize struggle, and acknowledge that ease varies across students. Throughout the course, invite student voice on low-stakes decisions and offer multiple, including anonymous, feedback channels. When harm occurs, the brochure’s repair steps – pause, listen, paraphrase, then explain; apologize when appropriate and co-create next steps – make the ABI model actionable in daily practice.

Impact

When educators set norms that dignify error disclosure, teach reflective debriefing, and reward revision, students become more willing to surface and analyze missteps – habits essential for safe, collaborative practice. Aligning labs with EDIA principles – equitable voice, respect for diverse experiences, and clarity in expectations – helps turn failure into fertile ground for growth.

References

  • Brackett MA, Katulak NA. Emotional intelligence in the classroom: Skill‑based training for teachers and students. In: Ciarrochi J, Mayer JD, editors. Applying emotional intelligence: A practitioner’s guide. Psychology Press; 2006. p. 1–27.

  • Hiatt MS, Lowman GH, Maloni M, Swaim J, Veliyath R. Ability, benevolence, and integrity: The strong link between student trust in their professors and satisfaction. The International Journal of Management Education. 2022;21(2):100768. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijme.2023.100768

  • Weger H, Castle Bell G, Minei EM, Robinson MC. The relative effectiveness of active listening in initial interactions. Int J Listen. 2014;28(1):13–31. https://doi.org/10.1080/10904018.2013.813234

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