Going Back to the Basics: Demonstrating Care, Connectedness, and a Pedagogy of Relationship in Education

Abstract

Without question, it is imperative in today's era of standards, accountability, and performance assessment, that teachers are skilled in content knowledge and pedagogical strategies. However, the humanistic side of education is equally important for effective teaching and learning. As such, educators need to be reminded of the importance of demonstrating care and connectedness in their classrooms and schools. The current research summary provides literature related to the concepts of care and connectedness and shares strategies for demonstrating care and connectedness in our classrooms and schools. The paper serves as a call to action to all educators, especially those who teach young adolescents, to find a way back to the basic principles of education. Teachers need to exhibit care by adapting their teaching to meet the needs of all students while building connections and positive student-teacher relationships at all levels of education and in all learning environments.