- Establishing strong trusting bond within the school community is the core for better holistic development of all the educational stakeholders
Trust is the main building block for any relationship to foster and it plays a crucial role in everyone’s lives to a wider extent. Forming robust trusting relationships for teachers, students, administrators and parents at all levels of the school ecosystem is imperative to improve the social-emotional health of all.
Doesn’t it feel good if every student feels welcoming or inclusive in the classroom with an optimistic approach towards them? Of course the technique can help students and teachers to a great extent. During these trying times, many parents and teachers have been experiencing overwhelming fear and anxiety. Therefore, to build trust with the families and students is a gruelling challenge.
The more good relationship students have with adults, teachers, the better their bond, engagement and their learning process. The trust deficit within the school community at times can subvert the school working, which ultimately impacts the corrective action to be taken on school initiatives and policies.
The term trust may mean different to different people. For instance, with workmates, it might mean being valued and respected whereas with friends or family, it might mean being loved and cared. Trust fosters when teachers, adults propagates to have open, cordial conversations with children and supports their perspective.
Let’s learn more about some of the key engagement strategies and ways to cement strong trusting relationships among the school community.
Emotional security must
Nurturing emotional security to students plays a vital role in the success of any classroom learning. It accentuates the student-teacher success ratio. Teachers and educators must eschew controlling children and take a student-centric approach in the classroom setting. A student feels supported and emotionally secured when a teacher instils confidence in them as they are open to discuss their problems.
Establishing a trust zone
Whenever a child feels insecure or is being bullied, a student must be assured that the school is always there to take necessary measures in creating his/her safety. Having patience and time to listen, understand and know your child, what they are going through and what drives them. Frequent communication and collaboration with your child will fulfil shared goals. It is a time and investment well spent to build robust
connection.
Building healthy environment for children
One of the critical strategies that every educator must focus is on creating a safe, supportive and healthy space, where both teachers and students voices blooms. It means they should be ensured that even the students from minority communities also have an equal say and participation in the educational ecosystem and classroom learning.
To cultivate, build partnerships and deepen relationships, teachers must give priority to students needs so that every child feels belonged in every school.
Stable caring guardian/mentor for every student
Another important strategy to build strong trusting relationships with students is to have at least one person in a child’s life with whom they can confide in, i.e., a positive and stable bond with a caring family member or at least one school adult they can rely on for any need. They can be any person – a mentor, teacher, sports trainer, counsellor or non-academic staff. Having such a person in every student’s life can have enormous benefits like minimal drop-outs from school, reduced bullying and better social-emotional health.
Parents’ participation equally essential
The onus should not only lie on teachers and administrators to cement strong trusting relationships with students but equally on parents too. More parents must be involved and given space to accomplish trusting relationship goals by organising small cultural activities in schools like school fairs where parents can also participate in students’ creative endeavours.
Small social circles can be orgainsed that can include running some games during recesses, offering materials as a token of appreciation, asking families for feedback on teacher survey’s, etc. Such fun communitybuilding events will foster and coordinate strong trusting relationships within the school community.
