- Pepi M. Silverman
Make Relationships A "Priority"
For parents and teachers, the focus of attending school is for learning important conceps that will prepare children for their future, but if you asked a student what they care most about at school, they will tell you that it is their "friends". For many students forming those meaningful relationships is as hard as their academic studies. While there are not specific subjects whose focus is on friendship development, if a student lacks the intuitive ability to build those relationships, their school experience is diminished. In order to make relationships a priority, request that your school district prioritize the following:
Create opportunities for peer interactions
Build supports that foster connections among students
Encourage activities that facilitate student collaboration
Provide space for cooperative learning
Facilitate ways for students to teach and learn together
Extend student connections beyond the school day
Make a school community that values interactive learning throughout the day
