1.1 The importance of connecting

The first time I watched Rita Pierson’s TED Talk titled “Every Kid Needs a Champion” was at a Higher Education conference in Los Angeles in 2015. Like most of the other attendees at this conference it was my first time hearing Ms. Pierson’s message. It was filled with funny teaching anecdotes but the message was clear and struck a chord with everyone that if we wanted students to be successful, then we had to build a connection. I have listened to this talk several times since then and I am still drawn to Ms. Pierson’s passion, humor, and most importantly, the simplicity of her words to describe the significance of what it means to be an educator and that teaching and learning should bring joy.

“The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery” (Mark Van Doren). Prior to beginning my career as an educator in a 1^st Grade classroom, I had spent a lot of time playing sports and coaching sports. As a player and coach, I always valued the one-on-one relationships that team sports fostered. The idea of getting to know learners – whether they are students or athletes, and helping them discover their individual needs, talents, and skills was always important to me. When I began working in adult education, the idea of seeking first to understand become even more apparent. I was working with adults who were older and more experienced than me. I quickly realized that telling them how and what to learn was not going help them. I needed to understand where they have been and where they wanted to go and then provide a means of filling in the gaps to assist them in getting there.

Today, I work primarily with college students and recent graduates who are trying to find their first employment opportunity in their field of study. I am passionate about teaching the skills needed to assist these students and graduates in meeting their career goals. I know that most college students enrolled in a program in order to further their career, and I have learned that although all sorts of great skills are learned in the classroom, students often struggle with the skills needed to get a job.

Focusing on building relationships and connecting with students is the foundation learning. Being able to understand their needs whether it be the needs for food or a wash cloth as Rita Pierson points out, or spending extra time to help them discover and master a new skill is what really empowers learners to stay involved and keep going forward.

 

Pierson, R. (2013, May). Every kid needs a champion [Video]. TED Conferences. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFnMTHhKdkw