Building Positive Relationships With Ethnically Diverse Students
Positive relationships are a major component of culturally responsive teaching as well as a key factor to the success of ethnically diverse students in schools. Ethnically diverse students come from marginalized communities to which racism and oppression are experienced all too often. From micro aggressions to macro aggressions, micro assaults, micro insults and biases, in schools, ethnically diverse students are experiencing forms of racism that are impacting their achievement. These harmful behaviors, by adults and peers, cause anxiety and stress to ethnically diverse students and make it nearly impossible to learn (Hammond, 2015).
However, positive relationships are essential to the achievement of ethnically diverse students. When ethnically diverse students have positive relationships with people they trust, they feel seen, heard, and validated as well as function as their authentic selves. They are more willing to take risks, engage with new learning, and share personal matters of deep concern when they have trusting relationships. Nevertheless, trust is the foundation of positive relationships and demonstrating care produces the trust necessary for a strong relationship (Hammond, 2015). Also, it is important for teachers to acknowledge and overcome their biases which can get in the way when building cross cultural relationships with students.
Moreover, in demonstrating care teachers should utilize cultural caring in which they care for the whole child as opposed to caring about the whole child. When teachers care for the whole child, they take intentional action to demonstrate care for the academic success and personal welfare of ethnically diverse students. When ethnically diverse students are cared for there is increased agency, capability, liberty, and empowerment (Gay, 2018). Ethnically diverse students are more inclined to reciprocate caring behaviors when they experience being cared for in schools. Teachers who demonstrate cultural caring are emotionally invested in the lives of ethnically diverse students and strive to understand them and their lived experiences as well as their aspirations for the future. Furthermore, as teachers build relationships with ethnically diverse students, they must utilize affirmations to show they care which helps in trust building.
As teachers build positive relationships with ethnically diverse students, they create a sense of belonging and stimulate increased creativity and higher order thinking (Hammond, 2015). Considering that ethnically diverse students are from collectivist communities, they are hard wired for deep connections. Their cultural socialization is interconnected with others which cultivated a sense of togetherness and cooperation that make relationships critical for their success in schools. Positive relationships are the bridge for learning that puts them in an optimal mindset to perform at high levels in the classroom.
Thus, positive relationships are a central component to culturally responsive teaching. Teachers should be intentional about getting to know ethnically diverse students’ interests and daily activities to incorporate that information into lesson plans, activities, and seating arrangements. When trust and respect are established, teachers promote a sense of safety and care for ethnically diverse students. They create opportunities for ethnically diverse students to take risks, be creative, and complete challenging tasks. As a result, ethnically diverse students increase their voices, are empowered, and evolve academically and socially.
