Building a Relationship with Students

My teaching at four elementary schools means I go from one school to the next; sometimes going to two schools in one day.  I do not know all my art students names, but know a handful in each class.  I do know that I have tried to build a relationship with a few students or a group in each of my classes.  There is always one or two particular students that I have built a relationship with because we like the same things.  Sports:  KU Football and Basketball; cats, music, etc. 
Why is it important to have a relationship with my students?  It shows that I care about what they are doing in their lives, and that we can talk about almost anything. I usually ask if they had a good weekend, or if it's a Friday, what are their plans. I try to keep things real.  I want my students to feel comfortable and trust me.  Sure we do cool art projects, and I want them to learn and have fun.  But, without a trusting and personal relationship where they know about me, and I know something about them, I think my teaching would not be as effective. 
After my 4th grades finished their Creative Names project, they all filled out a form, "All About Me".  I even shared one I filled out about me.  Then, they shared their information  from their form with another student, and I read some of them, too.  I learned about them. 5th graders did a short quiz and I learned that many really wanted me to know what they had learned.
A professor in my masters' program said, "It's all about relationships."  She is right.  How much time do teachers really spend getting to know their students?  For me, over a 1,000 students is too many to get to know personally, but I can focus on a few in each class, and build relationships with them, and then gradually build more relationships with others.  It will make all the difference in their lives, and mine.