Resources for building relationships

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The resources on this page have been compiled to help schools support positive student and teacher relationships, interpersonal skills, student participation, sense of community and the creation of connections.

Take a peek at our favorites or watch the highlighted video to get started!

Exclusive Resources for Relationships

Sign up to access the resources, ideas, articles and videos below that recognize, reward, reinforce and support student character.

Use The Results Formula™ to develop strong student and teacher relationships at your school.  RECOGNIZE and REWARD the academic efforts that result in success. REINFORCE your values through traditions and words, while looking for ways to create strong RELATIONSHIPS. All of this drives RESULTS.

THE HARBOR

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Mentorship – Video-based lesson with discussion prompts on the importance of have a mentor and tips for how to be a good mentee

Sarah Edwards – Video-based lesson with discussion prompts promoting small acts of kindness as a way to connect with others

Communication – Video-based lesson with discussion prompts with tips for how to become a better communicator

Cliques – Video-based lesson with discussion prompts focused on changing a clique culture into a connected culture

Collaboration over Competition – Video-based lesson with discussion prompts explaining how collaboration can lead to better relationships and results than competition

LEADERSHIP CURRICULUM

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What is Community?– A classroom lesson plan showing students the extent members of a community are interconnected

Alignment of Self to Group – A classroom lesson plan promoting self reflection for identifying how one fits into a group

Networking – A classroom lesson plan teaching tips for networking and initiating conversations

Team and Trust Builders – A classroom lesson plan providing numerous team building and icebreaker activities

School Group Identification – A classroom lesson plan analyzing different groups on campus and the level for which they are recognized or connected

COURAGEOUS CONVERSATIONS VIDEO SERIES

Relationships – Dr. Farah Ortega-Choate shares the impact prioritizing relationships has had on her as educator and as a person.

Parental Involvement – In this episode of Courageous Conversations, Julie shares how parental involvement diminishes in middle and high school grades and provides easy ways parents can respect

CONNECTED PODCAST

Community – Podcast episode sharing how to brand your school within your community.

Student Involvement – Podcast episode with dialogue on how students can work from within to build a culture of connection.

Brand Activation – Podcast episode discussing how to live your school brand out on your school’s campus.

THE GREEN ROOM

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Reaching at Risk Youth –  This episode details ideas and strategies to ensure that even those “hard-to-reach” kids on your campus have a sense of connection and belonging.

Love: The Secret Ingredient – When you think about great educators, regardless of their subject matter or age, they all have one common ingredient in their methodology: love. This episode chronicles the stories of several educators as they bare their heart and soul.

First Days of School – This episode provides ideas on how to offer the best first day and why it is important for the success of your school year.

THE IDEA EXCHANGE

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Positive Principal Referral (Article) – Recognize students for good behavior with Positive Principal Referrals. This strategy is a good way to build a positive relationship with students who don’t often receive praise, and is often a bright spot in an administrator’s day.

New Member Bingo (Printable) – Best practice activity encouraging new students to get to know adults in your school

Morning Greetings (Printable) – Best practice idea for starting each day of with positivity and connection

Curbside Coffee (Video) – Hear in ONE MINUTE about how you can recognize & reward the people that set the tone for students’ school day – the bus drivers – with Curbside Coffee!

Cafeteria Takeover (Video) – Here’s an idea from Dr. Darrin Peppard: Recognize the hard work of the your school’s cafeteria Staffulty.

Screaming Toes (Video) – AHHHH!!! Here is your next ice breaker game from Dr. Farah Ortega-Choate that is both silly, loud, and doesn’t need any materials

SEARCH INSTITUTE RESEARCH

Five Essential Actions of Mentors – About one-third of young people grow up without a non-parent adult in their life to offer guidance, support and encouragement. Among youth facing greater risks, those with a mentor were more likely to have a positive outcome. Research identifies actions that lay the foundation for a mentorship.

Broadening Students’ Worlds with Relationships – Because teachers and staff often have access to a range of opportunities and ideas not available to all families, educators can play an important role in expanding possibilities for students. The use of responsive relationships, “sparks,” and engaging curriculum can change a young person’s life.

Cultivating Caring Relationships with Students – Expressing care is the foundation of teacher-student relationships. Research shows that a caring teacher can have a lasting impact on many educational and  behavioral outcomes throughout a student’s education. While it can be more difficult to cultivate those relationships during middle and high school, it can be done.

Exclusive Educator Morale Resources

The resources below are available to schools after signing in.

The resources, ideas, articles and videos below help schools recognize, reward, reinforce and support educator morale, teacher appreciation and staff retention. Use the buttons below to immediately jump to the category you want to explore.