Chapter 9 Creating Relationships

By Brittany Egan

The key to achievement for students from poverty is in creating relationships with them.

 Because poverty is about relationships as well as entertainment, the biggest motivator for these students in relationships. We can find this answer in two sources
The recent research in the field of science. The work Stephen Covey has done with personal effectiveness.

How Do We Create Relationships?

 Leadership and the New Science (1992) Scientists question if we can explain how the world works. They explain how the world works with, Sir Isaac Newtown- Machine Model.
We must understand parts. Things can be taken apart and put back together. Materialism and Reductionism- focusing on things rather than relationships.

Margaret Wheatley

Margaret Wheatley cont.

Quantum view- relationships are a key determiner of what is observed and of how particles manifest themselves. In organizations, which is more important influence on behavior- The system or the individual?
Quantum view- It depends, What is critical is the relationship created between the person and the setting.

 Relationships make a great deal of difference. As teachers, we focus on achievement and effective teaching strategies. We use the Newtonian approach to teaching, dissecting it into parts, YET the most important part is relationships.

In Schools

 Students who have made it out of poverty and into the middle class are asked how they made the journey, 9/10 say that relationships helped them.
A teacher, a counselor, a coach made a suggestion or took interest in them.

Students of Poverty

 Notion of an emotional bank account to talk about the aspects of relationships. One makes deposits and withdrawals from the individual in that relationship. (Chart) We need to make deposits that are the basis of relationships. Relationships- begin as one individual to another.

Covey (1989)

Deposits
Seek first to understand

Withdrawals
Seek first to be understood

Keeping promises Kindness, courtesies

Clarifying expectations

Breaking promises
Unkindness, discourtesies

Loyalty to the absent Apologies Open to feedbak

Violating expectations

Disloyalty, duplicity
Pride, conceit, arrogance

Rejecting feedback

 Relationship between each teacher and student. Relationship between each student and each administrator. Relationship between student and student. Successful relationship= emotional deposits are made to the student, emotional withdrawals are avoided, and students are respected. When you honor students as human beings worthy of respect and care you establish a relationship that will provide for enhanced learning.

Relationships with Students

 Relationships will be stronger when you understand the deposits that are valued by the student of poverty.

Relationships with Students cont.

Support systems (networks of relationships), Caring about students, Promoting student achievement, Being role models, Insisting upon successful behaviors for school.

How does a School Create and Build Relationships?