Having been recognized for your teaching methods, what do you think is the key stepping stone in making a connection between students and teachers?

I believe the key stepping stone in building a strong connection between students and teachers is trust, patience and understanding. Teaching is not just about sharing knowledge it is about creating a surrounding where students feel heard, valued and gets encouraged to express themselves without any fear of being judged. A teacher should connect with  each and every student individually and understand them on a personal level and make them comfortable enough to be themselves, because ultimately students learn best from their teachers and when they know that the teacher has faith in them and believes in their potential and is always there to guide and support them both academically and personally.