One thing I believe in very strongly, though I haven't taken the time to discuss it much here, is building a rapport with your students. My situation may be different because I work in special education (though not with students with profound impairments etc), but I've found that even at the high school level, students crave respect and affection.
Working in high school, many of our students act like our signs of affection and caring don't matter, but often the kids who shun it most, most desperately need it.
Case in point: We have a student who barely spoke to me in his first year with me. He explicitly said he doesn't trust people and doesn't need anybody "getting up in their feelings" over him. If I tried to give him a hug, he'd run from the room.
We've now had this student in my class for three years. He still acts like I annoy him, and that he doesn't want to be around, yet he finds his way to our room repeatedly throughout the day. Despite knowing that he seeks us out, he still acts very closed off.
But yesterday something interesting happened. I had to leave early for a doctor's appointment. When this student came by our room, the following exchange happened between him and my co-teacher Janice:
Student: Where's Ms M---?
Janice: She had to leave for a doctor's appointment.
Student: Yo, wait. What kind of doctor's appointment? Do I need to be worried?
Janice: No, it was just a regular appointment.
Student: Oh, like a check up or something? Ok, good. because I'm gonna need her for the next twenty years.
So know that, even if it seems like you aren't getting through, and that the kids think you don't matter - you're wrong. It's working, they need it, and it's worth it.
