Dr. Renee Steele’s article, Relationships Matter, was recently featured in Campbell University’s Middle Grades Musing. Dr. Steele’s article focuses on the importance of educators building relationships with students which should lead to increased student academic achievement. Steele, who teaches 7th grade social studies at Elizabethtown Middle School, provided three tips on building relationships with students: greet students, seek first to understand, and share your story. Dr. Steele believes when students know how much you truly care about them, they will work hard in your class.
When I was working on my doctorate degree at Fayetteville State University, Dr. Joseph Johnson would tell us that you can’t forget the human spirit and people’s need for
connection said Steele. She further stated as educators, we have to be reminded that students are people who have real issues and challenges in their lives. In order for us to teach students, we have to help them overcome their challenges before they can even receive what we are trying to teach them in our classrooms.
At the end of the day, Dr. Rita Pierson, a renowned educator said, “kids don’t learn from people they don’t like.” Relationships do matter and it should be at the heart of everything we do as educators said Steele. Campbell University’s Middle Grades Musing is a monthly publication featuring topics relevant to middle school educators. The editor of the publication is Dr. Lorae Roukema, Associate Professor in Education and Coordinator of Middle Grades Program. If you would like to read the entire article, you may click on the link below:
https://assets.campbell.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2017/07/Relationships- Matter_18.2.pdf.