TOMMIE SAYLOR: It's all about relationships, relevance and rigor in education

“Education is what remains after one has forgotten everything he learned in school.”

-- Albert Einstein

By Tommie Saylor

Kennedy High School Principal

The professional development day provided by the Taylor School District on Tuesday was, if not anything else, affirmation that what we are doing at Kennedy High School is “spot on.”

We started last year, but really hit it hard this year, with an emphasis on the “Three R’s” and student engagement. 

The Three R’s – relationships, relevance and rigor – is the cornerstone of the Kennedy educational process.  Before a teacher can teach anything to a student, the teacher must first establish a positive, healthy relationship with the student.  As has been said many times, students don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care. Only through the establishment of a constructive, progressive and upbeat relationship will students be ready to open their minds and dedicate their efforts to the teacher. 

Face it, we all work harder for those we like, as opposed to those with whom we dislike.

From here, the instructor must make their lessons relevant to the student.  Lessons must not only be relevant to the real world, so that students can see the importance of what you are teaching, but also relevant to the student’s world. 

Don’t dismiss the question, “Why must we learn this?” or, “When will I ever use this?” Be ready for such questions, and use them as a learning opportunity. Show the students the connection between what is taking place in class and the outside world.  Using the relationship developed with the student – what you have learned about the student – make lessons “real” for the student.
The final step is rigor.  Only after establishing a fruitful relationship with the student, and demonstrating the relevance of what is being taught, can the instructor drive for the rigor. 

This means pushing the student toward higher-order thinking,  more complex thought processes, internalizing the new content material without overwhelming.  It is through rigor where the real learning takes place, but by the time the instructor gets to the rigor, the student is ready, eager and even excited to learn. 

What better situation can an educator have than students excited and eager to learn.

Engagement is never allowing a student to enter your classroom, and allowing them to leave without any interaction.  Engagement is about keeping students on task and focused. It is about making the student part of the lesson, not just an observer.  Engagement is about making sure every student is involved. It’s about making learning fun and it’s about getting as many senses involved in the learning process as possible. 

Engagement is about being part entertainer (to gather their attention), comedian (to keep their attention) and coach (to get them up off their butt and in the game).  Engagement is about using any means possible to transfer your passion for teaching into the student’s enthusiasm for learning.

Only through constant vigilance and continual commitment to the Three R’s and student engagement in every lesson and every classroom, will we continue to grow and get better at what we do. 

Remember: It’s not about what has been taught, it’s about what has been learned.

How and where will you lead them. Making Kennedy the school of choice. Excellence by design.