Zebra Staff Note:

A group of energetic, innovative teacher-leaders – the Alliance of South Dakota Milken Educators – have agreed to serve as guest columnists for the Online Zebra. This issue’s Guest Column was written by Kari Jungclaus, who was chosen as a Milken Educator in 2002. Jungclaus currently teaches at Rapid Valley Elementary School in Rapid City. The opinions expressed in the Online Zebra’s Guest Column are those of the author, not the South Dakota Department of Education. Watch for this regular feature in upcoming issues.

Relationships
By Kari Jungclaus

I often wonder what kind of teacher I would be today if I had not learned about sea green crayons. I fondly look back on my fourth grade year as one of the best years of my young life. My teacher, Mrs. Knutson, was a creative, energetic educator who had high expectations for every one of her students. Mrs. Knutson had the unique ability to make each of us feel as though we were the most important person in the world. But what really set her apart from the other wonderful teachers I’d had was the knowledge that her least favorite color in the rainbow was sea green.

Not only did we know about crayons, our class learned about Mrs. Knutson’s home town, her summer chores as a young girl, and her favorite foods and books. We could count on her to attend a Saturday basketball tournament or visit with our families in the grocery store. We knew these things because Mrs. Knutson took the time to establish relationships with each of us, to help us see her as a real person. Based on these relationships, Mrs. Knutson built a solid foundation for respect and rapport in her classroom.

Having a positive relationship with my fourth grade teacher forever changed how I felt about school. Feeling valued and appreciated, I was excited to go to school every day to work hard, challenge myself, and grow academically. I also wanted to make positive choices to add to the personal connection I felt toward my teacher and my classmates. The level of respect for my teacher also played an important role in life lessons learned throughout that school year. I felt the impact of consequences more than ever, and respected the times she cared enough to put me in my place for talking during lessons, participating in girl drama, and making poor choices at recess.

Entering the field of education, I remembered the positive influences of teachers, like Mrs. Knutson, who established relationships with me. Learning the importance of relationships first-hand helped me realize that rapport built on mutual respect sets the foundation for student success, both academically and socially. It is an essential aspect of teaching. There isn’t a magic formula for building relationships— and it takes time, energy, and a positive attitude. It is the responsibility of all teachers to strive to successfully connect with each and every child.

The communication between a student and teacher serves as a connection to establish a nurturing classroom environment. Teachers need to understand the value of each student’s sense of belonging to build their confidence and self worth. Pianta (1999) stated adult child relationships characterized by warmth, open communication, active involvement facilitate healthy social-emotional development. Students who value their relationships with teachers are more likely to model and emulate teacher behavior and strive to do their best.

Teaching, modeling, and reinforcing the expectations for positive interaction allow students an opportunity to practice appropriate social behaviors and impact their learning environment (Murray, 2002). Connell and Klem (2004) found that students who perceive teachers as creating a caring, well-structured learning environment in which expectations are high, clear, and fair are more likely to report engagement in school. Students with caring and supportive interpersonal relationships in school show positive academic attitudes and values, and more satisfaction with their education.

Connell and Klem (2004) also recognize five strategies to foster relationships with adolescent learners. 1) Recognize early adolescents’ need to feel supported by adults within schools. 2) Provide students with opportunities to learn skills for building positive relationships with adults. 3) Learn about students’ backgrounds, interests, and communities. 4) Develop increased awareness of classroom interactions. 5) Model, demand, and expect appropriate behavior from students. Efforts to build positive teacher-student relationships should begin with the recognition that these relationships DO matter (Murray, 2002). Taking the time to build positive relationships with students builds a foundation for respect and rapport, and fosters a positive learning community. Teachers need to realize the value of a kind gesture, a word of advice, or even a meaningful lecture!

Learning about sea green crayons seems like such a small idea in the big scheme of life. However, Mrs. Knutson helped me realize something special about education: Teachers make a difference just by caring. Let your students see you as a real person with hopes, dreams, and aspirations. Allow them a glimpse into the real you. You never know when something as simple as a crayon can change a child’s life.

Klem, A.M. & Connell, J.P. (2004). Relationships matter: Linking teacher support to student engagement and achievement. Journal of School Health, 74 (7), 262-273.

Murray, C. (2002). Supportive teacher-student relationships: Promoting the social and emotional health of early adolescents with high incidence disabilities. Childhood Education retrieved on March 2008 from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3614/is_200201/ai_n9057936/print

Pianta, R.C. (1999). Enhancing relationships between children and teachers. Washington, DC:American Psychological Association.