California Center for School Climate (CCSC)

This keynote address from Jaleel R. Howard, MEd aims to bridge the gap between theory and practice on effective ways to build relationships in the classroom. This talk will highlight empirically-based research demonstrating the benefits of meaningful connections between students and adults in school settings. Educators will receive examples of how they can incorporate various instructional techniques and self-reflection to develop better relationships with their students.

Watch the session recording:

View the recording transcript

View the Keynote slides and resources in this Linktree

Event Welcome: 

Rebeca Cerna, California Center for School Climate Director

Rebeca Cerna (she/her/ella) serves as the Director for the California Center for School Climate. As an Area Director at WestEd, Rebeca supports districts, schools, and community partners in centering equity and improving educational, prevention, and health outcomes. Rebeca’s areas of expertise include health and wellness, school culture/climate, partner voice, data use, and cross-sector collaboration. She has extensive experience in working with communities that have been challenged by infrastructure deficiencies and in lifting the voices of all community members. Rebeca has also worked with diverse settings, including rural and urban communities, recent and mixed-status immigrant communities, and alternative education. Rebeca enjoys travel, photography and trying new restaurants.

Keynote:

Jaleel R. Howard, MEd

Jaleel R. Howard, MEd, is co-author of the book No More Teaching Without Positive Relationships, which reviews the teacher-student relationship research and provides practices for building relationships that make a difference. A former English teacher, Jaleel has extensive knowledge of classroom supports and accommodations for instructional practice that enhance learning for underrepresented students. Jaleel’s research interests center around urban contexts and social forces that affect the educational experiences and outcomes for chronically underserved students. Jaleel is currently a doctoral candidate at UCLA in the Graduate School of Education and Information Studies.