Workshop Description:
Most of us already know that relationships matter in any field, but particularly in education. The question is: how? How do I build life-impacting relationships with students? How do I build resourceful relationships with my colleagues on campus? How do I build supportive relationships with my students’ parents?

There is a framework—the practice of four essential skills that will posture and position any educator to a place of relational readiness. 1) Reflecting (on why I am here); 2) Directing (the fuel of my emotion); 3) Connecting (building relational bridges across differences) and 4) Protecting (my mind, my heart, and my body from toxic, hurtful people).

Learning Outcomes:

• Participants will understand the importance of “why”.

• Participants will recognize the role of managing emotion in healthy relationships.

• Participants will know how to utilize non-contingent communication (bridge-building) to overcome personal biases.

• Participants will understand the dynamics of effective boundary setting.