Trust requires connection, and students of all ages can identify authentic connection and feel safe as a result. They can also detect insincere connection—seen largely as posturing and distance—and feel anxious in that teacher’s classroom because the process of learning always involves risk.

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We rarely discuss the role of belief in schools. Yet belief is an essential part of the ecosystem.  Students look to their teachers to be their mentors and motivators. They want to be validated for their effort, thoughts, and ideas. They are hungry for people to believe in and for people who believe in them.

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