AP Corner

Connection

Every day of practice for Girls on the Run has a theme. Our first theme was all about connection. For the girls, it was about realizing what we all have in common and building relationships with girls we may not normally interact with. Watching our girls run, calling out "Great job Kind Khloe" or "Way to Go Effervescent Espi," was incredible! It was also amazing to start to develop relationships with girls with whom we don't normally interact. The day after our first practice, one of the 5th grade girls who I've barely spoken to, came up to me at lunch to tell me about her day and the argument she'd had with her mother that morning. We chatted about having brothers and sisters and the challenges of sibling relationships. It was lovely to spend a few minutes connecting with her. :) 

It has made me think about connections. Building connections with our students and families-- and even students and families outside of our own classrooms, is the key to having a happy, healthy school culture. But connection goes beyond connecting with our students and families. Connection includes building relationships with one another. While it is completely normal to connect to our teams (they are the people with whom we spend the most time and our breaks are typically aligned), think about the power of connecting with someone you don't normally interact with. What would that look like? How could that make our school an even better place for teaching and learning?

This week, I am challenging everyone (including myself) to try to connect to someone you haven't connected with before-- be it a colleague, a student, or a family. 

Looking for some strategies to build better connections with students? Check out this 2 x 10 strategy for getting to know students better: https://thecornerstoneforteachers.com/the-2x10-strategy-a-miraculous-solution-for-behavior-issues/