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This week on Monday Matters, Jen Schwanke and Will Parker are talking about building trust with students. Their conversation is a follow-up to last week’s episode, where they talk about what kills trust with students. If you haven’t already listened to that episode, go back and give it a listen!
Building trust with students is the key to successful schools. When students trust their teachers and principals, behavior referrals are lowered, there are fewer interruptions during instruction, and overall student engagement increases. There are several ways that teachers and principals can build up the pillars of trust, and Jen Schwanke outlines them for listeners. The first is showing commitment to your students; being passionate about the things they are passionate about and staying present for the students who need it most. The second pillar of trust is authenticity. Rather than trying to fit into the mold of what you think a teacher or principal should be, focus on being yourself and bringing your skills and personality to the table. Students are much quicker to trust an authority figure who is authentically themself, rather than trying to be someone they are not. The third pillar of trust is engaging completely and sincerely. Immerse yourself in whatever you are engaging in, whether that is in classrooms, sporting events, or the lunch room. The fourth pillar of trust is clear and honest communication. Students appreciate it when adults or authority figures engage in direct communication with them. The fifth pillar Jen talks about is being consistent with student discipline and policy enforcement. The final pillar mentioned by Jen is handling crisis with calm. If you would like to learn more about how to build trust with students, check out Jen Schwanke’s new book: Trusted: Trust Pillars, Trust Killers, and the Secret to Successful Schools.
