Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Building Relationships is Key


Have you ever looked at a student and wondered what their home life is like? If they had been successful in school at a younger age? If they were at a different school, had different friends they would be more successful? I know many of us have had an experience with a student who just needs a little something to get back on track while others need a little more. Finally, there are some who no matter how much you do you can't reach. The only way to know who needs what and how much is to KNOW the students in your school.

I was able to have an experience at a high school and it has been an amazing time. This school has been going through a lot of changes with administrators and teachers. The first step in coming into a new school or being in a school with a lot of change is to start building relationships.

One student I was able to work with is a junior in high school with 5 out of 27 credits needed to graduate (he should have 16). When I began talking to him asking him what he wanted to do after high school his response began as being unanswered then as I began building a relationship with him through humor he finally started to answer and it was, "I dunno". After continuing to talk with him throughout my time we realized that the chances of him making up the 11 deficient credits while earning the 8 for the current year was going to be a hard battle. After discussing this with him, his councilor, mom, and another administrator it was decided that he would have better success at an alternative high school where he can focus on credit recovery in smaller classes while receiving credits for his current year in school.

I was sad to see him leave the high school but I know that it is in his best interest to try at an alternative school. Not all students are the same or need the same type of education. We need to build relationships with our students to know what they need to be successful.

-Megan

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