Let’s be clear: No teacher would ever intentionally deny a child the chance to learn. But it’s also true that we feel closer to some children than others. Sometimes that’s because we can see some of ourselves in them. Maybe we’re of the same race, from similar cultural backgrounds, we live and socialize in the same areas, or speak the same language. 

But there are also reasons why we don’t form strong connections with children. And those reasons could be due, in part, to the implicit biases we bring into our classrooms. Implicit biases are those beliefs, perceptions, and feelings that affect our thoughts and actions without us being totally aware of them. Implicit biases can prevent us from building relationships with children.

Remote relationships are not the same as in-person relationships with students.  We must also acknowledge the impact that the pandemic is having on our ability to connect with children. We are so used to seeing and being close to children every day. But, virtual, hybrid, and physically- distant learning adds a new barrier to building relationships.

Since we know that relationships are the gatekeeper of opportunities and we know there are plenty of barriers that could get in our way, we need to be thoughtful and intentional about building and maintaining strong and positive teacher-child relationships.