Posts

Understanding the Connection between Developmental Assets and Developmental Relationships

By and Reprinted from the Search Institute Young people are not problems to be solved. Nor are they defined by their risks or challenges. Every person has a wealth of strength and resilience, both within themselves and in their families and communities. But not everyone has equal access to the supports that nurture and grow […]

3 Simple Yet Powerful Ways to Build Relationships With Your Students

  Use these interactive strategies to build strong relationships with middle and high school students without sacrificing teaching time By Jori Krulder, Reprinted from Edutopia Twenty-five years ago, as a new teacher, I struggled to connect with students. Relationship-building wasn’t covered in my teacher credential classes, and with everything I was expected to cover in […]

Building Youth Potential Through Trust, Resources, and Going Deeper

By and reprinted from the Search Institute Adults can nurture and build youth potential by introducing young people to new opportunities in many ways: helping them to clearly articulate and plan for their goals, connecting them with new ideas, and guiding them through new experiences, to name a few. Activities, discussions, and assignments designed to […]

Relationships in Schools Are Central to Young People’s Growth

By and reprinted from the Search Institute Our world is changing rapidly, but one thing remains constant. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic and the educational challenges and adaptations it brought, the teacher-student relationship remains central to young people’s development. But how do parents view the importance of this relationship? Search Institute is sharing new data that […]

Going the distance: A longitudinal qualitative study of formal youth mentoring relationship development

Spencer, R., Drew, A. L., & Gowdy, G. (2023). Going the distance: A longitudinal qualitative study of formal youth mentoring relationship development. Journal of Community Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcop.23006 Summarized by Ariel Ervin Notes of Interest:  Although community-based mentoring is an excellent approach to promoting positive youth-oriented outcomes (e.g., academic, behavioral, social, and emotional), the quality of the relationships […]

How educators can overcome barriers to building relationships

Reprinted from the Search Institute Schools are a place for learning, and a place for relating. Search Institute’s decades of research shows us that young people’s development is rooted in their community and in their relationships. When young people have high-quality, positive relationships with parents, teachers, mentors, coaches, and peers, they are more likely to […]

4 Simple Ways to Build Relationships With Your Students

High school students benefit from meaningful relationships with adults at school, and teachers can foster those ties in little ways every day. By Alex Brouhard, Reprinted from Edutopia Last year, my school’s social and emotional learning staff distributed a survey to every student, asking how connected they felt at school. Eighty-four percent reported feeling connected […]

Fostering Connections Promotes Positive Youth Development

Reprinted from the Search Institute Nurturing relationships are at the heart of what youth need to learn, grow, and thrive. Fostering connections between supportive adults and young people builds resilience and the ability for them to envision and create a positive future, even in cases of poverty, discrimination, COVID-19 isolation, substance abuse, neglect, or other […]

Helping Young People Develop Social Capital for a Successful Future

Reprinted from Search Institute Social capital consists of the resources that arise from a web of relationships that people can access and mobilize to help them improve their lives and achieve their goals. But how do you help young people to build their social capital? And why is it important? Social capital is one of the […]

Building Connection: Conversation Starters for Youth in Challenging Times

Reprinted from the Search Institute We’ve all noticed that young people seem to escape into their own world. And it’s not just the screens and headphones. Let’s face it, these are challenging times for young people—and for all of us, to be fair. It’s challenging to find common ground and share a positive future for […]