On Friday I had the pleasure of presenting to the PGSE associate teachers at Liverpool Hope University via Zoom.  It was fantastic to meet people at the very start of their teaching journey who will be bringing their fresh perspectives and ideas to the profession.  The focus of the talk was the art of communication; building positive relationships with students both inside and outside the classroom.  This may seem like a given. However, in the exam performativity culture in which teachers operate this simple thing can be overlooked.  By actively listening and sharing your own experiences and authenticity with students, positive relationships are strengthened and developed.  This provides strong foundations not only for improved personalised outcomes within the curriculum but most importantly gives young people a space to be seen and heard as individuals.