Establishing a rapport with students is connected to students’ success, interest, and pro-academic behaviors. Rapport can be particularly hard to establish in an online learning environment. One way to help establish rapport is by starting the semester with a survey that helps you get to know the students and their needs. Teachers who do this increase validation and belonging for students, particularly for those from underrepresented backgrounds. This resource gives you some ideas for survey questions as well as resources for empirical research on rapport and student validation and belongingness.