SINGAPORE - Think about the subject that you had struggled with the most in school. What was your relationship with the subject teacher like and what could the teacher have done better to help you overcome your struggles?

These are some questions that mathematics teacher Lin Shaojie, 38, keeps in mind whenever he encounters a student who seems to have given up in class.

He said: “Through these questions, I reflect on the rapport I have with my students and on what would work best for them.”

Mr Lin, who has been teaching secondary school students for the past 13 years, said: “No student would choose to struggle or perform badly in a subject. After a series of failures and struggles, a student might give up and enter a downward spiral.

“This is where I come in to reframe their thinking. First, by building strong trust-based relationships, then slowly setting them up for small yet cumulative wins to help them regain their sense of control and confidence. This is especially important for those who do not have someone to support them in this journey.”

Setting students up for small wins include setting assignments that match their learning readiness and deconstructing questions into understandable parts that they can solve to build up their confidence, he said.

He tries to connect with his students by regularly joining them in activities such as foosball, physical education lessons or sports.

This shows them they can enjoy fun activities with their teachers and perhaps have meaningful conversations with them, Mr Lin said.

Students in Singapore have good support and relationships with their teachers, according to survey findings from the Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa) 2022 test released on Dec 5.

In the study, 86 per cent of Singapore students reported that their teachers give them extra help when needed in most or all mathematics lessons, compared with the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) average of 70 per cent.

Additionally, 87 per cent of them said teachers at their school are interested in their well-being, higher than the OECD average of 75 per cent.

Mr Lin, the lead teacher for mathematics at Riverside Secondary School, recalled a student who penned a piece saying that he wanted to become a snowman when he grew up.

It was unusual of the boy to treat the exercise as a joke, he said.

After discussing the student’s behavioural changes with a colleague, they arranged to meet him after school. He took just one look at his two teachers and started to tear up.

They learnt that the boy was under pressure from relationships, studies and emotional stress, and promised to be there for him while he figured things out.

“He took his work and goals more seriously and lived up to his promise in many ways,” said Mr Lin.

The student kept in touch and, a few years later, invited Mr Lin to attend a ceremony where he received an academic award for doing well in his studies.

“He reminded me of how a teacher’s patience and perseverance could help a student reach his or her potential.”

Ms Lim Bee Leng, 30, joined the teaching profession in 2018. She was motivated by the help she received from her teachers during her schooldays, as well as her love for the Chinese language.

It is important to build a strong teacher-student relationship in the classroom and during co-curricular activities and after-school programmes, she said.

Ms Lim, who teaches at Kent Ridge Secondary School, said: “Sometimes, I would make use of the morning assembly time before class starts to speak to students about how they’re coping with school. It does not need to be with targeted students, it could just be a casual chit-chat. Some students appear to be fine but, in fact, they may be facing some problems which are not detected.

“You will become their trustworthy adult in school who is safe for them to share their troubles with.”

Ms Lim is the teacher-in-charge for an after-school programme that allows students to befriend their peers, volunteers and teachers to develop social and life skills.

Students who join the Kent Ridge Lighthouse programme are known as Lighthouse Keepers, and are responsible for running the space and handling other students who wish to relax after school and play games or chat.

Lighthouse Keepers build confidence and executive functioning skills, like planning and following directions while student visitors build friendships, she said.

Both Ms Lim and Mr Lin found that it is possible to engage teenaged students, even though there may be challenges dealing with this age group.

Ms Lim said it is not difficult to connect with students as long as teachers put in the effort to understand them, be sincere and speak their language.

She said: “Many students seek affirmation from adult figures. Giving them platforms to shine and try are important, as that’s where their thoughts turn into reality. This would help them to open up more and be confident.”

Mr Lin said: “I will try to place myself in a student’s shoes and reflect on what I’d appreciate from my teacher.

“At the same time, I assume the role of a life coach when they seek advice on education pathways, relationships or understanding mathematics concepts.”

Difficulty arises when a student is not interested in talking to the teacher, he said. “They will only open up when they sense your genuine care and concern, or when they need your help.”