What the research says about building a relationship for success.
Secrets one through four focus on strategies used by teachers to establish high expectations and build connections with students. Multiple independent researchers agree that the development of caring connections between teacher and student and among students is critical to academic effort and success (Bempechat, 1998; Bernard, 2004; Henderson & Milstein, 1996; Patrick, Turner, Meyer, & Midgley, 2003). The significance of relationships also emerges from research on the practices of effective teachers of students living in poverty, from research about teachers who are effective with English Language Learners, and from research about students’ perceptions of teachers who make a difference in their learning (Cushman & Rogers, 2008; Delpit, 1995; Stortz & Nestor, 2008; Valenzuela, 2009; Wilson & Corbett, 2001).
Research also suggests that having strong relationships means more than caring about children or building good rapport with them. It means caring enough to have high expectations for children and ensure that they meet them (LePage, Darling Hammond, & Akar, 2005; Patrick, et al, 2003). For example, one major study of achievement in urban classrooms found that effective teachers believed all children can succeed and fully accepted the responsibility to ensure the success of each student. Less effective teachers also said they believed all children can succeed but qualified their statements in ways that absolved them from responsibility. That is, they believed children could learn IF children were motivated to try and IF their families were supportive. Like the award-winning teachers in Florida, the “no excuses” teachers found ways to motivate students who were not self-motivated or who lacked home resources to support their learning (Corbett & Wilson, 1998; Corbett, Wilson & Williams, 2002). The sig nificance of the “no excuses” philosophy is reinforced in a review 18 studies of schools that make a difference with under-achieving children from poverty environments (Richardson, 2003).
Further Reading Related to Relationships
- Bempechat, J. (1998). Against the odds: How “at risk” students exceed expectations. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.
- Benard, B. (2004). Resiliency: What we have learned. San Francisco: WestEd.
- Corbett, D., Wilson, B., & Williams, B. (2002). Effort and excellence in urban classrooms: Expecting and getting success. NY: TC Press. Pp. 12-28 and 131-146.
- Corbett, H.D., & Wilson, B.L. (1998). Scaling within rather than scaling up: Implications from students’ experiences in reforming urban middle schools. The Urban Review, 30(4), 261-293.
- Cushman, K., & Rogers, L. (2008). Fires in the middle school bathroom: Advice for teachers from middle schoolers. New York and London: The New Press.
- Delpit, L. (1995). Other people’s children. New York: The New Press.
- Henderson, N. & Milstein, M.M. (1996). Resiliency in schools. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
- LePage, P., Darling-Hammond, L., & Akar, H. (2005). Classroom management. In L. Darling-Hammond & J. Bransford (Eds.) Preparing teachers for a changing world. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.
- Patrick, H., Turner, J., Meyer, D.K., & Midgley, C. (2003). How teachers establish psychological environments during the first days of school: Associations with avoidance in mathematics. Teachers College Record, 105, 1521-1558.
- Richardson, J. (2003). The secrets of “can do” schools: Louisiana team uncovers traits of high poverty, high-performing schools. Results. Retrieved February 19, 2009, from http://www.nsdc.org/news/results/res2-03rich.cfm
- Stortz, M. G., & Nestor, K. R. (2008). It’s all about relationships: Urban middle school students speak out on effective schooling practice. In F. Peterman (Ed. ) Partnering to prepare urban teachers (pp. 77-102). NY: Peter Lang.
- Valenzuela, A. (2009). Subtractive schooling, caring relations, and social capital in the schooling of U.S. – Mexican youth. In D. J. Flinders & S. J. Thornton (Eds.) The curriculum studies reader, 3rd edition (pp. 336-347). NY: Routledge.
- Wilson, B.L., & Corbett, H.D. (2001). Listening to urban kids: School reform and the teachers they want. Albany: State University of New York Press.