ReKnight

Students find value in stories - we've been wired to learn this way!

We recently served the boys at Yeronga State High School. These young men are heading to incredible places 🚀

There's no "I'll do it if you do it" in respect. Building an environment where respect is mutual and intrinsic means initiating it first. It means meeting everyone eye-to-eye and having NO expectation in it being reciprocated.

All of my favourite teachers in school, I felt seen by and level to. I wasn't just a student to them, I was a young man. It was these teachers I learned the most from, and continue to thank for my journey to this day. Strong student-teacher relationships are imperative. Building rapport and trust is at the forefront of our work with young men, as we'd hope it to be in schools.

What’s the point in learning this? Every student asks this at least once. And now, it’s getting asked more and more, with so many increasing ways to develop a career and make money. It’s quickly becoming a main point of discussion, and ever quicker, a point of disruption by many. It’s no grand discovery that technology and education are changing at such a rapid rate. With endless streams of information available at their fingertips, students are constantly questioning the relevance of traditional education.  There has NEVER been a more important time to powerfully develop student-teacher relationships. Here’s how we’ve done it Australia-wide with boys: 1) Meet Them Them Where They’re at (both literally and figuratively): It’s quite rare for us to see boys rolling their eyes when we facilitate, and it’s even rarer for us to see them yawn. Why? Because we’ve learnt through thousands of iterations to READ THE ROOM, and work with what we see. If they are tired, we pivot & energise. If they are too energetic, we use it and refocus the rom. 2) Make Rapport & Trust the Guiding Light: Rapport & Trust blast through the “what’s the point” question head-on. When boys feel that their teachers understand and care about them as individuals, they’re more likely to engage in their education. They begin to see learning not as a chore but as a meaningful activity that has real-world relevance. We ALL have a DEEP instinctual desire to trust and respect the person we are learning from. My esoteric/truth seeking brain spasms when I hear teacher’s say “I’m here to teach, not to deal with wellbeing or form relationships” It’s like a firefighter saying “I’m here to spray water, not rescue people” - The gap between what is taught and what is learned will only continue to widen, making the task of educating the next generation more challenging than ever. It’s time to put relationship building skills on high beam. #Education #Schools #Educationalleadership #Principal #Wellbeing

Imagine your boys greeting you with a handshake.

"Class clowns" have the capacity to facilitate an entire classroom, imagine what they can do with effective guidance. Classroom disruption is misused leadership potential. #educationalleadership #school #education #masculinity #teacher #principal

Gold & navy is the new orange & black 🚀

Boys understand respect. They just don't SEE the value. After serving 1000's of boys in Australian schools, we've learnt how to effectively train boys into becoming honourable men, where respect is mutual and intrinsic. Are you seeing the below issues repeatedly surface in your school? - Blatant disrespect & ignorance - Classroom disruption/disengagement - Lack of motivation, direction, and sense of purpose - Truancy & rebellion - Banter leading to bullying Early-teacher attrition is at an all-time high and dealing with disrespect can be exhausting. The go-to “fix” to these issues is often punishment, however, negative reinforcement methods only scratch the surface. So let’s dive a little deeper... These problems are often perceived as causes, but in reality, they are the effects. The effects of real issues that lie beneath the surface and will only worsen through negative reinforcement. We’ve traced them back to two underlying causes: 1) Unmet needs in the boys (as per Maslow’s Hierarchy) 2) Lack of intrinsic core values Does any of this resonate with you? Recently, we shared a powerful story about our work in juvenile detention centres. Imagine entering a room filled with troubled young men from traumatic backgrounds. Within just 20 minutes, these boys, known for their disruption, sat in absolute silence where you could hear the penny drop. How did we achieve this? Meeting the boys eye-to-eye - Instead of trying to force respect, we meet boys where they’re at. We’ve consistently seen disruptive young men become facilitators of deep discussions, simply because they feel respected & heard. Fulfilling their needs - We address the fundamental needs of these boys by providing a safe, connected, and respectful environment: effectively laying the groundwork for them to learn & reach their potential. Showing up as role models - At ReKnight, its in our DNA to embody strong values and clear goals, serving as role models for the boys. By demonstrating respect, integrity, and authentic connection, we inspire them to adopt these values. Your boys want to respect you, give them that gift. #respect #education #schoolteachers #teachers #principal #wellbeing #resources #mentalhealth #masculinity

A weekly honouring where students can acknowledge the success and their appreciation of others can go a very long way. Have you done this with your class?