At Deo Mwano Consultancy(DMC), when we work with school leaders on Learning Success, we place a strong emphasis on educators establishing authentic alliances with their students and their students' guardians. Building relationships can often be overanalyzed and made overly complex, sometimes leading us to rely on superficial theories of relationship-building. However, the essence of effective relationship-building lies in meeting your stakeholders where they are, creating a space for their voices to be heard, and making them feel valued so they can fully engage in the learning process.
Initiating Relationship Building
Recognize that there is often an inherent power dynamic imbalance between learners and educators, making it essential to approach this relationship with humility and empathy to level the playing field.
By being intentional from the outset, you create an environment where learners and their guardians feel safe enough to let their guard down and engage authentically. One of the key ways to initiate the process of building authentic relationships is by openly sharing your intentions regarding supporting the student’s journey toward learning success. This act of explaining your intentions plays a critical role in bridging any gaps that may exist.
Utilizing Personal Insights
In some instances, especially in lower grades like Pre-K, Kindergarten, and first grade, educators go to great lengths to inquire about students' personality characteristics. When educators are intentional, they take this information and use it to inform how they interact with each student. It is vital for these practices to be implemented consistently across all grade levels, as it provides an opportunity for learners and guardians to express who they are and how they prefer to be supported.
The significance of this approach lies in the collection of valuable information about the learner and the validation of the provided information within the context of their learning approach and demonstrated skills. It is crucial not to lead with assumptions based on information from previous teachers. Instead, use the data collected as a baseline to confirm the impact of their behavior based on the gathered information.
Validation and Data
Validation becomes a critical aspect of ensuring that what you capture reflects the reality of how the learner presents themselves. It is essential to convey what you have learned about the learner's behavior to the guardian, ensuring they understand how the learner is expressing themselves.
Equity and Inclusion
From an equity and inclusion perspective, it is vital to comprehend the various aspects of the learner that might present as obstacles to building the relationship. Being culturally competent in navigating different cultures, literacy levels, languages, and accessibility is necessary to minimize barriers that hinder connections.
Continuous Improvement
Constantly providing feedback and gathering information through observations allows you to iteratively improve your interactions. This ensures that your intentions as an educator are effectively communicated and demonstrated to the learner and their guardians, making it clear that you are there to inspire, motivate, hold them accountable, and facilitate their learning success.
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