Transformative Learning Begins with Strong Relationships

By Tracy Faucher, Deputy Head, HTS

The idea that a positive relationship in the classroom helps students to learn better is not new. However, this idea becomes transformative when it goes beyond greeting students at the classroom door and asking them about their weekend. What does attention to strong relationships really mean for the intentional design of the teaching and learning experience for students? What does it look, sound and feel like when educators construct transformative learning experiences for their students using key elements of strong relationships like trust, independence, respect and love? Most importantly, how does this approach change students’ learning?

As an essential component of the thriving student-centred program at HTS, the relationships that educators cultivate are as im- portant as the content they teach. And, when the relationship between student and teacher is at the heart of instruction, student learning improves and students are more engaged.

Relationship-centred instructional design

The role that relationships play in the classroom and student learning is a known aspect of education. In Middle School, Grades 6–8, this is especially important as students become more discerning, more critical and more aware of their own needs as learners. For some, if they do not feel a connection to their teacher, it may not be enough to love a particular subject; a weak relationship can impact their level of engagement. When engagement decreases, so too does the deep learning that is crucial to students’ ability to apply what they she lays out the course for her students and, together, they analyze it. As Gillian explains, “I now know there are so many ways that something can be taught, and it is more important that students have a hand in what the teacher ultimately chooses.” This consultation is not a one-time exercise. Gillian revisits this plan with her students multiple times each year to make sure it is still meeting their needs. In order not to lose sight of this goal, she intentionally devotes classroom time to this task to make sure it does not get forgotten in the tyranny of the immediate.

Another important aspect of student-centred design is allowing them to decide how they will demonstrate their mastery of the course content. Gillian invites students to think about how they can best show what they have learned and how they have grown throughout the unit. Gillian observes that students’ eyes light up with this invitation; there are always a few ideas that totally surprise her, because they are so original. This singular shift in her instructional design the deliberate centring of students communicates to her students that they all belong, no matter how they learn.

Marisa Tassone, a French teacher and the assistant head of the Middle School, uses her understanding of her students to tailor the lessons for each class she teaches. In her planning and design of each lesson, she knows she has to address the needs of the students in each class. It cannot be a “rinse and repeat” experience. As Marisa explains, “I teach three classes with the same lesson content, but how I deliver it is different for each class because each of my classes needs different things in order to get the most out of the day.” This fine-tuning strengthens her relationships with students in her classes, because she takes the lead from the students who are in front of her; as a result, students are able to learn in deep and powerful ways.

Elicia Pavan ‘11, a Middle School science teacher who also uses the practices described above, has a very strong opinion as to why relationships are both central and crucial to student learning: “When relationships have been cultivated, communication skills improve. Students are comfortable speaking in class. More ideas are shared, and this deepens the learning experience for everyone. The positive relationship negates the awkwardness that can be present in Middle School and levels the playing field, so to speak. We are all here together.”

Do students notice?

Does this intentional focus on relationships pay off for students’ learning? Several Grade 8 students were more than happy to share their thoughts on the importance of the relationships with their teachers and the resulting learning space that is created. At the most basic level, students know when a teacher cares, not just about them as a person, but also about how they learn. The students I spoke with all agreed that this feeling of connection was hard for them to describe it was something they felt. For these students, the sense of safety and of being included made a difference when it came to learning it made them want to participate, to pay attention and to try. One student said that even if the topic was boring, if they were in a class where they felt connected to the teacher and to the other students, they would still do whatever the teacher was asking because they felt their opinion was valued.

All of the Grade 8 students I spoke with emphasized how critical it was to have choice in their learning. Renee Chung was clear in their opinion: “Teachers who give me choices show me that they really care. When teachers give me choices, that also proves that they trust me and believe that I know myself best to make the choices that will work for me and the way learn.” Upon hearing this, many students were quick to agree. Enzi Shah added, “When teachers show they trust me, it also makes me feel like they are giving me more responsibility, which I really appreciate. This also makes me care more about the class and what we are learning.” The connection these students have to their teachers is undeniable. And the decisions teachers make when designing their learning experiences can be a powerful tether for the students, who find themselves connected through such insightful and intentional instruction.

Designing Learning in a Post-Pandemic World

The last two years have unveiled to all of us that, in every aspect of our lives, the bonds we form with those around us shape how we are able to shoulder the pressures of the world. What has also become explicitly clear as we listen to our students is that creating a learning-driven ecosystem, whose foundation is rooted in the principles of personalization, is more important than ever. It could be said that designing learning in any other way is simply not an option if we want our students to have a learning environment that not only allows for a wide understanding of what is possible, but also helps to support their mental health and their journey of self-discovery. As Middle School English teacher, Gillian Martin, says passionately, “Nothing else in teaching and learning works if you, as an educator, haven’t figured out who is in the room.” have learned across the various areas of their learning and in life, more generally. The question then becomes, how does a teacher intentionally design their learning environment to create this connection? And further, how does a teacher create a space, through their instruction, that is safe for students, allowing them to take risks at a time in their life when they have become very selfaware and acutely conscious of how they are viewed by others? To develop this safe space, educators look towards the truest principles of personalization, placing them front and centre, from the moment they start a lesson until they finish it.

For Gillian Martin, designing for connection means that she invites her students into the planning cycle. At the beginning of the year,

Transformations From The Hts Community

“One of the main transformations I have experienced at HTS is in my teaching practice. Since HTS has shifted to a more personalized approach to learning, I have been able to engage my students more in their educational journey. This pedagogy has allowed my students to be at the heart of what I teach. They have agency and choice in what they want to learn, how they want to learn it and how they will showcase their learning. As one of the only teachers of colour at HTS for many years, it was a isolating at times. It has been amazing to see new teachers from different backgrounds becoming part of our staff. Our focus on equity, diversity and inclusion has made HTS more diverse. Students can see themselves in their teachers.”

NICOLA THOMPSON, DIRECTOR

Of Athletics