Caring our Way to more Effective Learning

Abstract

Throughout more than forty years of teaching we have interviewed students on what they believe are the best qualities that teachers should possess. Students have consistently given us four categories for teacher ‘greatness’. They have told us in different ways that they see the following in their great teachers: 1. Strong knowledge of their curriculum, 2. A strong repertoire of pedagogical skills, 3. Care about and for their students both academically and personally, 4. All students in their classes learn. We have come to realize that great teachers attend to the academic and pedagogical understanding as well as the emotional and physical well being of their students. We understand that emotional well being and the feeling that people care about each other is an integral part of student learning (Caine, Caine, McClintic, Klimek, 2011; Sousa, 2011). This article establishes a way for teachers to begin to think about relationships in their personal and professional lives. Based on the work of William Glasser (2006) we will discuss realistic ways to develop positive and effective relationships – first with ourselves, second in our personal relationships and then in our professional relationships with our students and colleagues. We believe these ideas support the psychological and sociological research presented above and if we can develop ways to integrate systems to create and maintain positive relationships, not only will school be a more pleasant place to be but teachers and students will become more effective in their work individually and collectively. If we can learn how to develop and maintain our relationships using caring habits in relationships and eliminating the deadly habits (Glasser in Fitzgerald, 2003), then we will be able to cultivate a school climate that promotes learning and those GRIT skills (Duckworth, Peterson, Matthews & Kelly, 2007) and other 21st century skills (Framework for 21st Century Learning, 2011) that research indicates will help our students to be successful.