Rules of Engagement - Insights from "The Student-Teacher Relationship" by Schlechty and Atwood (2001)

We came across an interesting and relevant article titled "The Student-Teacher Relationship" by Schlechty and Atwood (2001).

Summary of Article:

• Teacher-Student relationships, like all forms of relationships are reciprocal. It is said that when a teacher "lost control" of the class, it is actually the student or students who "gained control"

• Teachers are influenced by students who control resources that are social in nature and consist of power (the capacity to influence), where these students who have access are because of their relative positions in particular social systems

• Student as Boundary Threat: teachers are more likely to response to the influence of students whom they perceive to have contact with powerful community members

• Student as Insider: a student's capacity to successfully influence the teacher may also be based on his relative position within the social system of the classroom

Linkages to School Context:

• Quality of School Experience: the article touched on two key components in the QSE's "Social Process", namely "Teacher-Student Relationship (TSR)" and "Peer Relation (PR)"

• SEM: it is also reflected in our SEM Criterion 5.1 where we examine the processes of identifying students' needs, SEM Criterion 5.5: Student Leadership

• Quality of Relationships: in the core theory of success, we all understand that quality of relationships is the critical link that binds all other areas, hence based on that it is assumed that with a weak link in relationships, success becomes difficult to sustain

Possible Recommendations/Insights:

• Investing in relationships is, according to Stephen Covey, a Quadrant 2 activity, which means you need to act on it as it does not act on you. Hence it is important but not urgent. As a result, we sometimes ignore investing in relationships as we are too focused on working on things that are "urgent". It is "urgent" to finish the syllabus. It is "urgent" to just get things done first. And we neglect "investing in relationships"at our own peril.

• Before we invest in relationships, we first need to understand that you cannot give what you do not have. For instance, if we do not have the knowledge, skills, and attributes; then it is difficult for us to "give" or teach others. On the same note, if we are not "secure" (as in feeling insecure), then how do we share or teach others how to be secure? In the classroom, if the teacher is not a lifelong learner him/herself, how can s/he encourages or be an example for students to become a lifelong learner?

• Therefore, one of the underlying foundation that one must have is "personal mastery". As an extension of a Peter Senge's 5th Discipline, Stephen Covey's 7 Habits, John Maxwell's 5 Levels of Leadership, and Jim Collins' Level 5 Leadership; we propose a three-level of "mastery"; namely Personal Mastery, Engaged Mastery, and Professional Mastery.

• In the Principles of Engaged Mastery(TM), we discuss about the 9 Principles that one must observe; where the first four principles (self-discipline, vision, rectitude, and legacy) are focused at a "personal" level. Once one has demonstrated their minimum mastery of these principles, they will then be prepared to move to the next level of "engaged mastery".

• At the "people" level (for engaged mastery), individuals will need to learn the rules of engagement. First, the "mind-set" is "we engage another person with integrity". This would mean, before we engage another person in conversations or for professional matters, we need to be clear in terms of our intentions. Covey calls this "Think Win-Win".

• The "skill-set" requires for engagement include learning to listen, learning to build rapport, learning to pace and then lead. As a process, we sometimes felt the urge to lead then listen.

• And the "tool-set" that is useful for honing the skills is the SCORE Model, which is used for coaching purposes (coaching is also a Quadrant 2 activity). If one has the "mind-set", "skill-set", and "tool-set" of engagement, s/he is then seen as exercising principle number five of the 9 Principles of Engaged Mastery.

• To exercise the remaining four principles (Synergy, Abundance, Leverage, and Empathy); we can then bring in the "professional" context. Here is where we identify the various environment in which we are operating in and that will decide the kind of "skill-set" and "tool-set" that we can use. But in order to do all that, we must have the "mind-set" at the level of Professional Mastery, which is "to engage another person with integrity to progress towards a common purpose".

Three things you can do:
So, the next time there is an opportunity to engage another person, you can do these three things:

1. Set your intentions before you start your conversation,
2. Exercise the principle of "engage" where you must engage the other person with integrity, and
3. Practice the three "Ls" of listen, learn, then lead

Your friend,
Melvyn Tan