How do you form relationships with your professors?

Participate intelligently in class, sit in the front row, attend office hours, ask them questions about their specialties and then learn something about it so that you can respond, say hello, say thank you, write emails in English, and begin with Dear Professor Jones and end with Best regards, if there is a particularly good lecture one day, go down after class and say so.

Regularly meet them during office hours just to pick their brains. Show a great interest in the topic they are teaching. However don’t do it so much that they think you are a pain. Work really hard in the class and always make sure you have good questions and well-informed opinions. Be able to back up anything you say with evidence. Show an aptitude for advanced education in your field. If you are going into a research program for graduate school, then show an aptitude for research investigations.

Laugh at their jokes – IF you get them.

Also, be polite, respectful, and enjoy the class.

Really the best way to do so is to attend office hours. I would say spend about half the time asking questions related to class but the other asking about their own research and being interested in it or having some other type of personal conversation (not too personal, appropriate of course). And don’t forget to talk about your own goals or even ask them for advice on getting into grad school etc…

Volunteer to be a TA, and help with the filing and office work for them.

I usually don’t have trouble forming relationships with teachers. My relationship with my teacher is directly proportional to the amount of time it takes me to pack up after the bell rings. As I am usually the last one out anyways, I don’t hesitate to exchange a few comments about the lesson and wish them a good day or weekend. I also participate in class as often as I can, often making a complete fool of myself with a wrong answer, but participating nonetheless. I once sat through a class (AP Spanish) where I was the only one who ever answered questions, and it was living hell for me. While the other students usually knew the answers, they were all too paranoid of giving a wrong one. It really doesn’t hurt you as much as you might think, and even a wrong answer can strengthen a relationship with a teacher, as they see you are putting forth effort. I realize that this is more difficult in larger classrooms, but I can’t help you much there. Sorry.

Low cut blouse. Short, tight skirt. Oops, I dropped my books!

Here’s a decent example. I took a Beat Writers course from this Lebowski type instructor. He really got into all aspects of Beat and related it to slavery and African-American writers (his other course). I and my group, for one of our projects attached to a paper, presented the history of CBGB and the musicians and bands that blew the doors off the establishment in the ‘70’s. Related the club/music to Beat, gave everyone a CD of punk music, and he knew my first name after that.
Finding a common interest [something you’re both passionate about] is one of the best ways to set up a good rapport.

hehe sucking up is usually pretty easy and effective. I once had a teacher who really played favorites. She marked a couple of wrong answers right on one of my tests once, and I, having a strong sense of justice, asked her to correct them. I did pretty well for the rest of the year without all that much effort ;-).