Relationships

1. Relationships are at the core of effective strategies for working with families of, and with ,students who have special needs

1.1. Strong relationships build trust and trust helps everyone face challenges together as a team

2. Reciprocal Relationships between teacher-students

2.1. Promotes collaborative classrooms where everyone works together to solve problems

2.2. Develops mutual respect

2.3. Produces academic results

2.3.1. Ultimately this is what we want - student success through academic rigour

3. Must be genuine, respectful and strength based

3.1. Fostering a relationship does not mean being a "friend" - this is not appropriate

3.2. Students can distinguish whether an adult is attempting to form a relationship in order to push compliance or out of a genuine care for the academic well being of the student

3.3. One strategy is to say 5 positive things about a student for every 1 negative thing - this shows an increase in student production and a decrease in misbehaviour