The Power of Positive Relationships

For teachers to be successful, they must be willing to form meaningful relationships with their students.  I believe that having meaningful relationships helps form a connection that allows the students to become more willing to listen to what I have to tell them, not only about my subject, but also about life.  On that note, someone told me the other day that my relationships with the students in my building caused them some concern.  I’m not entirely sure what they meant by that.  I can only imagine that they are concerned with the fact that my students are willing to talk to me about some of the most challenging things that happens in their lives.  I think of it as a badge of honor.  Having students know that I care about them as human beings, when no one else seems to, means a lot to me.  I find it interesting that the teachers in my building who are very willing to judge a student and condemn them because of their past, are usually the same teachers who are very critical of others.  These are, in some cases, not all, the same teachers who seem to always have horror stories about working with challenging students.  It’s those same challenging students that I tend to not have any problems with, and I attribute that directly to the relationship that I am able to build with them.  I challenge anyone who reads this to make an effort to form a positive relationship with your students, no matter the position you currently hold.