{"id":81255,"date":"2025-05-27T13:41:00","date_gmt":"2025-05-27T18:41:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/casel.org\/?post_type=blogposts&#038;p=81255"},"modified":"2025-05-27T13:41:11","modified_gmt":"2025-05-27T18:41:11","slug":"the-missing-piece-in-education-centering-relationships-between-students-and-teachers","status":"publish","type":"blogposts","link":"https:\/\/casel.org\/blog\/the-missing-piece-in-education-centering-relationships-between-students-and-teachers\/","title":{"rendered":"The Missing Piece in Education: Centering Relationships Between Students and Teachers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"key-points\"><strong>Key Points<\/strong><\/h2><a class=top href=\"#top\">Back to top<\/a>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>There is a quiet crisis playing out in schools across the country: a breakdown in the relationship between students and teachers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>When a student feels disconnected\u2014when they perceive school as a place where they are scolded or ignored rather than supported\u2014it\u2019s no wonder they disengage.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>One education nonprofit leader shares how her organization helps rebuild connection through arts-based storytelling.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p>As someone who leads a nonprofit that partners with schools across the country, I spend a lot of time visiting classrooms. I expect to find joy in these visits\u2014a chance to be closer to the students we\u2019re working to support. And sometimes, that\u2019s exactly what I find. But too often, I walk away feeling deeply concerned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The issue isn\u2019t with students or even individual teachers. It\u2019s something more systemic\u2014a breakdown in the relationship between the two. This disconnect is a quiet crisis playing out in schools across the country, one that doesn\u2019t make headlines but has a profound impact on learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Meanwhile, education leaders, from superintendents to philanthropists, are focused on ideas like high-quality instructional materials, career-connected learning, or the promise of artificial intelligence in classrooms. These are all valuable conversations and important investments. But they\u2019re missing the foundation: students who feel safe, seen, and valued in their schools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"connection-as-critical-to-engagement\"><strong>Connection as Critical to Engagement<\/strong><\/h2><a class=top href=\"#top\">Back to top<\/a>\n\n\n\n<p>When a student feels disconnected\u2014when they perceive school as a place where they are scolded or ignored rather than supported\u2014it\u2019s no wonder they disengage. In Chicago, where my organization began, chronic absenteeism <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chicagobusiness.com\/crains-forum-school-pandemic-recovery-and-funding\/cps-takes-problem-chronic-absenteeism\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">has exceeded 44 percent among low-income students<\/a> and<a href=\"https:\/\/www.the74million.org\/article\/40-of-chicago-teachers-are-chronically-absent-those-gaps-carry-real-costs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> 40 percent among teachers in recent years<\/a>. If schools don\u2019t feel like positive, healthy spaces, neither kids nor adults want to show up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Research backs this up: <a href=\"https:\/\/nextgeninsights.waltonfamilyfoundation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Walton_Gallup_Voices-of-Gen-Z_Year-2-2024-Final-Report.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">relationships between students and teachers are among the most important factors<\/a> in academic success and overall well-being. When students feel known and supported, they are more likely to stay engaged in school\u2014even in the face of challenges like poverty, food insecurity, or trauma.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is the heart of social and emotional learning (SEL)\u2014not as a standalone program, but as a framework for building the relationships, emotional safety, and sense of community that make learning and personal growth possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.edutopia.org\/blog\/addressing-our-needs-maslow-hierarchy-lori-desautels\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">concept as old as Maslow\u2019s hierarchy of needs:<\/a> until a student\u2019s basic needs for safety and belonging are met, they won\u2019t reach their full potential as learners. Yet even when basic needs like food and shelter are met, schools often fall short of creating environments where students feel a sense of connection.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/casel.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/Maslows_hierarchy_of_needs.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-81258\" style=\"width:634px;height:auto\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Image Credit: J. Finkelstein via Wikimedia Commons<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>And so the cycle continues: students disengage, act out, or stop showing up\u2014not because they don\u2019t care, but because school no longer feels like a place where they\u2019re understood or supported. Teachers, stretched thin, often respond with frustration or discipline rather than connection. Trust erodes, and both students and educators end up feeling isolated and stuck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"breaking-the-cycle\"><strong>Breaking the Cycle<\/strong><\/h2><a class=top href=\"#top\">Back to top<\/a>\n\n\n\n<p>How do we break that cycle? It\u2019s not about adopting a specific program or following a one-size-fits-all strategy. This requires a paradigm shift in how we think about schools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/casel.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/Blog-featured-image-1600-x-600-px-1200-x-600-px.png\" alt=\"3 images: A foam doll as a self-portrait (a soccer player); A student with the outline of a &quot;body map&quot; which shows who he is and what he values; An additional body map option which shows the work more closely\" class=\"wp-image-81259\" srcset=\"https:\/\/casel.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/sites\/1\/.\/Blog-featured-image-1600-x-600-px-1200-x-600-px.png 1200w, https:\/\/casel.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/sites\/1\/.\/Blog-featured-image-1600-x-600-px-1200-x-600-px-640x320.png 640w, https:\/\/casel.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/sites\/1\/.\/Blog-featured-image-1600-x-600-px-1200-x-600-px-300x150.png 300w, https:\/\/casel.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/sites\/1\/.\/Blog-featured-image-1600-x-600-px-1200-x-600-px-768x384.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>A foam doll as a self-portrait (a soccer player); a &#8220;body map&#8221; that shows what a student values; a student with his &#8220;body map&#8221; <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In Philadelphia, for instance, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.inquirer.com\/education\/philadelphia-school-district-chief-joy-officer-budget-lift-every-voice-20240519.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">parents have petitioned the district to create a Chief of Joy position <\/a>to focus on making schools places where kids want to be. In Massachusetts, <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/school-attendance-sick-day-chronic-absenteeism-270f6d07041760e90bf84d9f4108aa4d\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">a principal reintroduced recess for high school students<\/a>, recognizing the need for moments of connection and play even for older students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At my organization, <a href=\"http:\/\/ourtimecapsule.org\">Once Upon Our Time Capsule<\/a>, we\u2019ve developed an arts-based curriculum that helps students and teachers connect through storytelling. Students create time capsules to document their perspectives, experiences, and hopes for the future, which they then share with adults and peers in their schools. The results have been powerful: over 80 percent of participants reported that they enjoy school more on days they work on their time capsules, and a similar percentage said the adults and peers in their schools know them better because of the program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/casel.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/Blog-featured-image-1600-x-600-px.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-81260\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>A plate of food showcasing the foods that are a special part of this child&#8217;s culture; foam dolls depict the people\u00a0this student trusts <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>As one of the incredible teachers in our program, Brooke from Williamsport, PA, shared: \u201cOne of the things that stood out to me was the joy that it brought my students. It\u2019s no secret that teachers are feeling overwhelmed and frustrated, and it\u2019s hard to find the time to have those moments of joy. But this program reminded me why I love teaching&#8230;It\u2019s a wonderful opportunity to get to know my students as individuals, outside of just the academic demands that they face every day. \u201c<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/casel.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/Blog-featured-image-1600-x-600-px-1.png\" alt=\"Left: a girl taking a video of her project; right: a group of children playing that they are monsters\" class=\"wp-image-81261\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>The classroom in action<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>These efforts\u2014big and small\u2014share a common thread. They recognize that relationships are the foundation of learning. And they\u2019re urgent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Roughly one million families opted out of traditional public schools over the last four years, causing even mild-mannered NPR to proclaim an \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2024\/08\/27\/nx-s1-5090188\/american-public-schools-face-an-existential-enrollment-crisis\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">existential enrollment crisis<\/a>.\u201d All the while, state legislators are passing voucher laws to make other options more affordable than ever before, and federal action to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/us\/trump-likely-expand-school-choice-longstanding-conservative-goal-2024-11-21\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">expand private school choice<\/a> is on the horizon. Schools that fail to create environments where students feel valued risk losing not only their students but their relevance in the broader educational landscape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"working-together-to-create-the-relationships-kids-need\"><strong>Working Together to Create the Relationships Kids Need<\/strong><\/h2><a class=top href=\"#top\">Back to top<\/a>\n\n\n\n<p>Teachers can\u2019t do this work alone. Administrators must create the time and structure for relationship-building to happen. Policymakers must prioritize funding for strategies that strengthen classroom and school communities. And as a society, we need to shift our attention back to the human connections at the heart of education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>High-quality instructional materials, innovative technologies, and career preparation are all important. But none of these will matter if we don\u2019t start by focusing on what\u2019s most fundamental: the relationships between students and teachers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>The views in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of CASEL.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Stacey Gillett <\/em><\/strong><em>is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Once Upon Our Time Capsule, where she draws on two decades of experience designing initiatives that make public systems more effective, responsive, and innovative. She previously led efforts at Bloomberg Philanthropies to help local governments better serve residents and served in NYC government advancing universal pre-K, new school models, and anti-poverty strategies. Earlier in her career, she worked for Senator Schumer, gaining a national perspective on public education reform.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Related Posts:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/casel.org\/blog\/a-relationship-fueled-learning-community-teachers-and-students-in-california-share-the-impact-of-sel\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">A Relationship-Fueled Learning Community: Teachers and Students in California Share the Impact of SEL<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/casel.org\/blog\/how-my-student-showed-me-the-power-of-positive-relationships\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">How My Student Showed Me the Power of Positive Relationships<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/casel.org\/blog\/not-only-do-students-need-strong-teacher-student-relationships-teachers-need-them-too\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Not Only Do Students Need Strong Teacher-Student Relationships\u2026 Teachers Need Them, Too!<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"write-for-us\"><strong>Write for Us<\/strong> <\/h2><a class=top href=\"#top\">Back to top<\/a>\n\n\n\n<p>Are you interested in writing for CASEL\u2019s blog, <em>Constellations<\/em>? <a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1zSZFveKA8xsmlCADpfDP8t-y9emN0qswHQh1MnfmqBI\/edit\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Learn more<\/a> about what we\u2019re looking for and how to pitch your idea!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Points Back to top As someone who leads a nonprofit that partners with schools across the country, I spend a lot of time visiting classrooms. I expect to find joy in these visits\u2014a chance to be closer to the students we\u2019re working to support. And sometimes, that\u2019s exactly what I find. But too often, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":81257,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","theme":[201],"class_list":["post-81255","blogposts","type-blogposts","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","theme-deep-dives"],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/casel.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blogposts\/81255","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/casel.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blogposts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/casel.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/blogposts"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/casel.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/casel.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=81255"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/casel.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/81257"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/casel.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=81255"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"theme","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/casel.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/theme?post=81255"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}