1. Be consistent: there is comfort in routine.

Consistency doesn’t have to be strict or mean. There is comfort in routine. Outline your expectations and then follow through. Your students will adapt to your routine and enjoy knowing what’s expected of them, which will, in turn, encourage them to respect you and maybe even like you. For instance, my routine is that I always warm up my class by greeting kids ‘How are you?’. This simple check-in establishes the habit and shows concern from their teachers. Then, kids participate by saying how they feel and the reasons.

2. Your priority is to create a safe, structured classroom environment.

Your priority is not to be BFFs with your students. Your priority is to create a safe, structured classroom environment. If your students know your classroom is a safe place to learn and be creative, they are more likely to come to class prepared and ready to listen, which are signs that they like you.

3. Don’t use bribery to convince them to behave.

It can be very tempting to offer your students candy or trinkets as a way to convince them to behave. The ultimate goal would be to set your expectations and then expect your students to rise up and meet them simply because that’s what they need to do. Students who understand this will respect you so much more than a teacher who has to give kids treats to get them to behave. Kids will love the candy, but they won’t like you much. As a teacher, I never gave candies. I don’t like my kids to get sugar high!

4. Building relationships makes your job easier and more enjoyable.

When you build a mutually respectful relationship with students, it makes your job easier. Just don’t fall into the trap of thinking that a relationship means every student likes you. You might be able to get students to respect you because of the relationship, but that doesn’t mean they like you. Get over that. The relationship is more important than whether every student likes you or not. 

I am a tender teacher. As long as I built a rapport with my kids, they started to reveal their secrets. They told me what they like and dislike, who they love, and even they hate their homeroom teacher….

5. Be yourself: let your personality show in your classroom.

Be the teacher you were trained to be. Let your personality show a bit in your classroom. Just as with every aspect of life, some people will like the real you and some won’t. That’s OK. As long as you go into your classroom every day dedicated to making a difference, most of your students will end up liking the real you.

6. Treat them like important humans no matter their age.

Just like teachers want to be treated with respect, children of any age want the same. Look at your students as if they hold the potential to change the world, wonder what awesome people they will become, and then treat them like they are world-changers. Who wouldn’t like a teacher who is so excited about their future?

7. Don’t try to be the cool teacher.

Nothing makes a kid laugh harder than an adult trying to be “cool.” You don’t need to be up on the latest slang and fashion trends to convince students to like you. As an authentic adult who cares more about the students than about being “cool,” you are more likely to be respected and liked.

8. Find something to like about each and EVERY student.

It can be hard to find something to like about each student. Some students are just hard to enjoy. But when you make the effort to do so, it will be more probable that they will like you. Students just want to be valued by their teachers, just as we want them to appreciate us.

9. Remember kids don’t need a friend, they need a good teacher.

That’s what kids need. They don’t need another friend. They need a teacher who shows up every day dedicated to teaching them what they need to know. Kids like good teachers. Don’t worry about being liked; worry about what you can do to be a good teacher to your students. The liking will follow.

10. Follow through

Students can’t respect a teacher that says one thing and does something different. Even if you regret promising something, follow through. You will be both respected and liked when students learn they can trust your word.

11. Command respect

Establish your rules, tell them to your students, and then enforce them religiously. You are not being mean when you do this! Once students realize that you love them enough to expect respect, they will realize that they do like you in addition to respecting you.

Reference: https://boredteachers.com/post/respected-and-liked-by-students