A Sense of Security Is Key for Students

I’ve heard it said that rules without relationships lead to rebellion. This sentiment has rung true many times in my classroom, and I always remind myself that even though I’m an adult, just like an adolescent, I can find it difficult to heed the direction and instruction of someone with whom I have no relationship.

We’ve trained children to be skeptical of strangers, but I’ve found that if we want them to be successful in our classrooms, we need to counter that with relational equity—building the value of the relationship between teacher and student over time. Students must know that their teachers are on their team and want the best for them, rather than think of them as authority figures waiting for them to make mistakes. When teachers show genuine interest in their students’ well-being, kids are quick to listen, trust, and learn.

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