Teachers know the importance of strong relationships with their students, but sometimes connecting with them feels challenging.
No More Teaching Without Positive Relationships
reviews the teacher-student relationship research and provides practices for building relationships that make a difference.
To learn, students need positive relationships with their teachers. So what gets in the way and how can we do better? Since there is no one way to make every relationship positive, authentic, sustainable, and trusting, the authors provide a range of strategies for building and maintaining connections with students. They also discuss critical considerations such as:
Learning about students’ backgrounds and interests
Communicating with parents and caregivers
Developing culturally responsive content
Understanding the importance of race and ethnicity
Building and protecting students’ self-esteem
Positive teacher-student relationships do not just transform student learning—they also create more stimulating and caring classrooms. A true relationship is dynamic, often requiring a change in behaviors and mindsets. It can be intense work, but it is the kind of work that can change a student’s life.