Advancing beyond adherence: Cultivating connections in academia

Key points:

Our country is witnessing the dedication of teachers serving in what may be the most challenging times in history. As a former educator and someone who supports education leaders across the country in building stronger relationships, I know this is truly a game-changer.

The current system continues to incentivize and pressure teachers to focus on compliance – fitting kids into neat boxes, sticking to standards, and checking off those never-ending lists. But if we truly want to unlock our students’ potential and create a rich, engaging, and positive learning environment, we need to prioritize building connections. It’s time to shift our focus from compliance to truly getting to know the young, brilliant humans in our classrooms.

When we challenge the system and see students as individuals with unique backgrounds, dreams, and potential, something amazing happens: they start taking charge of their own education. I’ve seen firsthand how students engage with the curriculum in new ways, grow into their personalities, and nurture transformational relationships when they are immersed in a high-quality learning environment and can be their most authentic selves.

Understanding context beyond compliance

Our education system loves its labels: “At-risk,” “low-achieving,” “special needs,” “gifted and talented.” Labels can be useful in allocating resources, setting academic benchmarks, and guiding interventions. But they don’t tell the whole story and often create narratives that limit our students’ potential rather than liberate their dreams.

One of my elementary school teachers saw beyond the label of “at-risk.” She knew my circumstances but didn’t let that become an excuse for lowering expectations. She built a meaningful relationship with me, understanding the challenges I faced but holding me to high standards and providing the support I needed to meet them. This level of care should be available to all children.

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Building lasting relationships

Our education system may be operating on an outdated model, but one of its strengths is its people. Despite the challenges, we have some of the smartest, kindest, and most dedicated individuals working in education. Fantastic educators create environments and experiences that promote critical thinking and instill a joy for learning, making education a truly rich experience for each student.

Building authentic relationships with students isn’t always easy, but it’s the most effective strategy for understanding context beyond compliance. It takes time, effort, and a lot of listening to learn more about another human, their story, and their journey of development. To be a truly well-rounded and caring educator, we must become learners of our students’ natural talents, skills, leadership, and backgrounds.

Partnering with families and communities

Schools are public institutions that weave the lives of communities together. They create the space for students, families, and educators to come together as strangers and leave as a community. Education is the most powerful weapon to change the world.

Recognizing the context of each student’s life ensures we adapt our teaching methods accordingly. Teachers are experts in their curriculum, but families are experts in their children, and communities have resources to share. Strong partnerships between families, educators, and community members can make a difference in a student’s success.

Let’s invite families to become strong educational partners and create a collaborative space that says, “I see you, and I need what you bring to support your student.” When we all work together, honoring each other with dignity and respect and putting children first, our students succeed.

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Our system may be flawed and broken, but through personal and collective leadership, we can drive transformational change. It all begins with relationships.

So, to my fellow educators, let us focus on our personal leadership and building meaningful connections to make a generational impact. Education leaders must create learning environments where every child feels seen, heard, loved, respected, and valued.

Marcela Andrés, designEDengagement, PBC

Marcela Andrés is the president and CEO of designEDengagement, PBC, an education consulting firm she launched in 2019. She is the author of Purposeful Educator Connections: Five Principles to Strengthen Relationships with Students.

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