1.08 Why Strong Relationships?
Understand why strong teacher-student relationships are essential in LIA and how deeper understanding helps students feel seen, supported, and connected.
The First Day of School
The first day of school is always an interesting day. Unfamiliar students walk into your classroom, and immediately the judgment process begins.
Students try to figure out what kind of teacher you are, and you try to figure out what kind of students you have.
This process is natural, but it is also flawed. Culturally Responsive Teachers understand that what we see on the surface is only a small part of who a student really is.
The Iceberg Example
The judgment of people is often compared to an iceberg.
The tip of the iceberg is the only easily visible part, yet it would be foolish to judge the iceberg's full size based only on what appears above the water.
In the same way, there are certain characteristics we can easily see in students, but stopping there would only give us a surface-level understanding of who they are.
Understanding What Is Beneath the Surface
A Culturally Responsive Teacher strives to learn the qualities, experiences, strengths, challenges, values, and stories that exist beneath the surface.
A teacher who champions students must understand and connect with them through deep relationships.
When you understand your students more fully, you are better able to place them in situations where they can connect with your teaching and succeed in your class.
Connecting Back to My Suitcase
The My Suitcase activity is one way to help you and your students understand each other at a deeper level.
After students complete their suitcases, give them opportunities to share and explain their items with the class. Some teachers choose to have students share over several weeks as time permits.
This type of activity can help build trust, strengthen classroom community, and create meaningful opportunities for connection.
What are some ways you can learn what is beneath the surface for your students during the first few weeks of school?