Positive Connections

chapter seven
ADRIENNE DUCATO & CHRISTINE JONES
 One teacher's
small effort to connect
can have a
profound impact.
The Ingredients
Caring
Caring isn’t a strategy; it’s a choice
We must personally and genuinely care for our
students
Loving teachers care more about their students’
well-being than about whether or not they are
liked
When we choose to be kind, we exercise our
power to truly help students 
The Recipe
Strategies
To implement good intentions into action, teachers
need to implement specific strategies, such as:
Two-by-Ten aka “the two-minute intervention” 
Choices: gives students a sense of power
ex: “4-H” - hello, handshake, high-five, hug
Where can teachers build in choices?
Applause: safely and loudly express
appreciation for each other
Listening: provide undivided attention
Writing vs. Speaking: students often feel more
comfortable confiding through writing
Make sure to take a look at the bright ideas!
A closer look into
avoiding pitfalls
Getting Too Personal: being careful not to cross a privacy
line
Prepare for the Worst, Even as We Assume the Best:
maintain realistic optimism
We are the Boss. Period.:  we are in charge so be clear
and firm
There will be Times when We are Not Liked--Hated, Even
The Emotional-Charge-Transfer Game: don’t take on the
negative feelings
Secondary Teachers’ Built-In Challenge: it is tougher to
connect 
Classes Have No Memory: cultivate strong, positive
connections over time
Culturally Responsive
Instruction
All students need to feel welcome!
If teachers don’t connect to students' cultures it can
cause them to disengage from learning and lead to acting
out in the classroom
How do we connect to students’ cultures?
Self-examination and unearthing our own biases
Strategies: be willing to stretch and learn about other
cultures
Teaching Children of Poverty: they often suffer from
chronic stress that shows up in various ways in the
classroom
Questions
to keep in mind
What were the major What did you learn from How would it look or
guiding points of your this reading? Any feel like in your own
section? particular takeaways? classroom?
Any do's or dont's?
Instructions
In the breakout room groups,
please...
In 10 minutes, go through the assigned pages
and come up with the main highlights for each
section. Feel free to refer back to the list of
questions on the previous slide. You will then
report back to the whole group and share aloud
for approximately 2 minutes each.
Look over the following pages
with your assigned group:
Breakout Room 1: pp 79-82
Breakout Room 2: pp 82-87
Breakout Room 3: pp 87-90
Breakout Room 4: pp 91-96
Breakout Room 5: pp 96-100