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In this section, we focus on demonstrating caring and utilizing good communication to build credibility with students. If we want students to pursue postsecondary education when it is not an aspiration, we need them to value our input. Building relationships is all about connecting with students personally so they know we have their best interests in mind.
All three of these concepts are intertwined:
How credible are you if you are not communicating?
How accurate is your information? What is the depth of your knowledge? Deep levels of accurate knowledge help credibility and demonstrate caring (i.e. you care enough to learn things that help your students).
How consistent/authentic is your caring? If your caring is inconsistent or appears inauthentic, this affects credibility and impairs communication.
There is a reciprocal relationship between communication and caring.
If you are not communicating, it looks like you don’t care.
Caring requires communication.
Saying “I’m proud of you” in an email makes a big impact.
Greeting students in the morning and saying goodbye at dismissal is communication that exudes caring.
How do we push for better FAFSA results in a caring way?
We've all been there; it's February and we've beat the bushes for as many FAFSA completions as we can and we think, "That's it; I'm not going to get any more."
If you have already talked to every senior on your caseload about the FAFSA, sometimes you need to put down the FAFSA conversation and engage with the kids over something else. Reset the relationship a bit so it is about them. Ask about sports, classes, jobs, prom plans, summer plans, or anything else that can show them you care about THEM as a student and not just your FAFSA results. Once they know you are truly their for them, many of those undecided students will come back to you, ready to do what's next. And, sometimes students are late adopters; they start to see classmates get excited about going to college. They start to feel like "everyone else is doing it, I guess I should to" and they'll come back to you, ready to apply to community college and/or complete a FAFSA.
Kids develop their career plans at different rates depending on circumstances and sometimes we have to plant the seed and wait for it to sprout.
Caring
Caring
How do we establish a positive school climate?
How do we infuse trauma-informed practices into our work?
Credibility
Credibility
How do we ensure the accuracy of information?
How do we build expertise among our school staff?
Communication
Communication
How well do we communicate in advance? Are we responding to parents/students/staff within 48 hours?
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