Caring in the Classroom Building the teacher-student relationship

Building Teacher-Student Relationships: Historical Background Carl Rogers: examined the relationships between psychologist and patient, then applied it to the relationships within education. presented three essential attitudes: realness in the facilitator of learning prizing, acceptance, and trust empathetic understanding

Building Teacher-Student Relationships: Realness in the Facilitator An educator must enter into a relationship with the learner that is real, with no pretenses or façades. This relationship is rooted in the awareness and communication of feelings and emotions, through direct personal contact that is genuine and authentic.

Building Teacher-Student Relationships: Prizing, Acceptance, and Trust The facilitator of learning must place value on the learners, their feelings and opinions, their successes and failures. Requires acceptance of the learner as an individual of worth. This also requires a sense of trust, a belief that the learner is fundamentally trustworthy.

Building Teacher-Student Relationships: Empathetic Understanding The educator must exercise the ability to look at a situation through the eyes of the learner. Often times students are not looking to be evaluated through the eyes of the teachers, but only understood from their own point of view.

Building Teacher-Student Relationships: Moving Forward Education must move past its current function and concern itself with the cultivation of the interpersonal relationship qualities of individuals.

Caring in the Classroom: Steps to implementation of the Professional Development Program

Step 1: Evaluation of Current Relationships

Student Perception Survey

Step 1: Evaluation of Current Relationships Student Perception Survey Results: “M y teachers are friendly and caring ”

Step 1: Evaluation of Current Relationships Student Perception Survey Results: “M y teachers are friendly and caring ” 34% of students at Maritime disagreed.

Step 1: Evaluation of Current Relationships Student Perception Survey Results: “ My teachers treat all students fairly. ”

Step 1: Evaluation of Current Relationships Student Perception Survey Results: “ My teachers treat all students fairly. ” 66% of students disagreed.

Step 1: Evaluation of Current Relationships Student Perception Survey Results: “ My teachers are available when I need to speak to them about my personal problems. ”

Step 1: Evaluation of Current Relationships Student Perception Survey Results: “ My teachers are available when I need to speak to them about my personal problems. ” 41% of students disagreed.

Step 1: Evaluation of Current Relationships Student Perception Survey Results: 49% of students disagreed with “ About every week (regularly) I receive recognition or praise for doing good work from at least one of my teachers. ” 16% of students stated they disagreed with “ There is at least one teacher at school who seems to care about me as a person. ” 21% of students disagreed with “ There is at least one teacher at school who regularly encourages my achievement (development). ”

Step 1: Evaluation of Current Relationships Teacher perception survey Adapted from evaluation created by Dr. J. Bluestein. Designed to evaluate patterns in current relationships with the children as perceived by teachers. When compared to student perception survey, the teacher survey can help identify areas of concern.

Step 1: Evaluation of Current Relationships Teacher perception survey centered on perception of: Proactivity Win-win Success Orientation Positivity Eliminating Double Standards Boundaries Supportiveness Integrity Responsibility Self-Care

Step 2: Planning for Implementation

Step 2: Implementation Plan Goals - Develop and support teachers as catalysts for change - Provide training and support of classroom teachers to ensure that - Teachers learn how to integrate a pedagogy of caring into their standards- based curriculum allowing for more effective teaching strategies to improve student learning; - Teachers learning how to create and maintain a caring learning environment.

Step 2: Implementation Plan Caring Teams Following the initial workshop, staff will be encouraged to form “caring teams” to support and assist each other in the maintenance of the caring environment. Training will be offered to those who choose to participate in the teams.

Step 2: Implementation Plan Timeline

Step 2: Implementation Plan Fall Administration will have teachers complete the Teacher Survey.

Step 2: Implementation Plan Spring A committee of teachers will evaluate the results of the survey and compare to the results of the student perception survey to identify areas of concern. 2. The committee will work with Caring in the Classroom coordinator to modify program to fit the needs of teachers and students.

Step 2: Implementation Plan Summer Teachers will participate in a Caring in the Classroom workshop during the week leading up to the first day of school. 2. Workshop will also cover the formation and functioning of “caring teams”. Teams will be given time to meet and discuss a plan of action for the coming school year.

Step 2: Implementation Plan Fall 2009 – Spring Administration will meet with individual teams throughout the year to discuss progress and offer additional support. 2. Teachers will also be encouraged to read and post on the Caring in the Classroom blog. 3. Additional mini-workshops will be held to enhance the work by teachers in creating the caring learning environment.

Step 2: Implementation Plan End of School Year Student and teacher perception surveys will be completed in order to evaluate the program’s effectiveness. Administration will facilitate an opportunity for teacher reflection and planning for the following year.

Step 2: Implementation Plan Costs - Costs to the school will be centered on time given to teachers for planning and the workshop. Teachers will need common planning time to meet with their “Caring Team” members on a regular basis. It is suggested they meet at least once a week.

Step 2: Implementation Plan Costs - Additional training in the form of conferences and workshops is encouraged as opportunities arise. These are not required but are greatly encouraged.

Step 3: Caring in the Classroom Professional Development Program

Website was designed to guide teachers through the discovery of ways to create a learning environment that is based on caring and mutual respect. The site is a step-by-step guide, beginning with the teacher survey.

Bibliography Bluestein, J. Instructional Support Services, Inc. (2007) Characteristics of Healthy Adult-Child Relationships. Bluestein, J. Instructional Support Services, Inc. (2007) Checklist for Healthy Adult-Child Relationships. Farson, R. (2001). Carl Rogers, quiet revolutionary [electronic version]. Education, 95(2), Noddings, N. (1992). The challenge to care in schools: An alternative approach to education. New York: Teachers College Press. Rogers, C. (1951). Client-centered therapy: Its current practice, implications, and theory. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company. Rogers, C. (1969). Freedom to learn. Columbus, OH: Merrill.