I’ve always realized that trust was an incredibly important aspect of growth. As an educator, trust is invaluable, not only for the students but also for the staff. Trust can only happen with time and effort.
As a classroom teacher I quickly learned that I needed to develop trust with my students right from the beginning. Part of developing trust is showing that you care about the individual students. To do this you must ask a lot of questions and truly listen to their story. You also have to share your story.
Gavin McCormack sent me an article on the importance of trust in the educational environment. He said, “School leaders and principals must first trust their teachers. They must understand that each teacher is different, we are all cut from a different mould and will teach according to our passions, our own experiences and our personality. Similarly, teachers must trust that their students can handle a pedagogy based around their independence, choice and experimentation. Every child learns differently, at their own pace and in a way that meets their needs.”
When we trust our educators to teach to the diversity of the students, magic happens. This individual appreciation and trust of our unique students helps not only students to thrive but also our students.
McCormack states, “It’s not what children are being taught that causes their eyes to glaze over, it’s how they’re being taught and it’s all about trust.”