The Foundation of the Model
While building life-altering relationships is the fourth step of the model, it is truly the cornerstone of everything a No-Nonsense Nurturer does. However, relationships take time to build. A teacher’s precise directions (step 1) support students with finding success; positive narration (step 2) creates positive momentum in the classroom; and consistent accountability systems (step 3) support a culture of high expectations and care. These first three steps create a path to build life-altering relationships (step 4) that support a student to engage and take risks in the classroom. The power of the four-step model lies in how all the steps work in concert to enhance relationships between teachers and students (and among students) in unique, deep, and lasting ways. It’s through these relationships that transformational teaching has the platform to thrive. Precise directions, positive narration, and accountability systems are supports and necessary stepping stones to reaching the fourth step of building life-altering relationships, but none of the four steps can work without the support of the other three.
The types of relationships No-Nonsense Nurturers have with their students are life altering. Life-altering relationships for both students and teachers provide opportunities to transform one another for the better. They define how we communicate and relate with one another in school and ultimately in society. No-Nonsense Nurturers realize that everyone benefits from the relationships they build with students. Through these kinds of relationships, students gain access to rigorous academic content and find trusted adults in their teachers. Teachers who have built such relationships approach their students with an asset-based mindset, thinking about what they can do to help them grow, succeed, and learn. These teachers understand that building relationships is difficult, with ups and downs. Through self-reflection, they learn to adjust their own perceptions as they grow to better understand their students and their cultures.
The students you serve every day—whether from urban, rural, or suburban areas—are masters of their culture, and they are constantly exploring relationships. Students’ cultural mastery supports their learning every day. It is up to you to learn from them and use their cultural experiences as assets in your classroom. The best way to do this is through your relationships with them. Through consistent, caring, and interactive discourse, relationships between teachers and students become life altering.
You also must consider the power and importance of building relationships with students’ families. No-Nonsense Nurturers recognize the connection each student has to his or her family—culture, experiences, and care. Part of building a strong relationship with students includes building trust and respect with their caregivers. By communicating your expectations to families and making your approach to student learning and classroom culture transparent, you will likely enlist family members as teammates on this journey—ones who want what is best for their children and who will, when they understand your model, aid you in supporting your students.
This book presents the beliefs, attitudes, and techniques No-Nonsense Nurturers utilize to achieve their unique levels of success. I cannot emphasize strongly enough that our research and experience indicates that motivated teachers can learn and master these strategies, beliefs, and attitudes (Klei Borrero & Canter, 2018). You can do this! While it does take a commitment and a growth mindset, this book will support you in making a difference in the lives of every student, every day.
How to Use This Book
If you are reading this book, you will likely do so through one of three lenses—(1) new or struggling teachers, (2) midcareer teachers, or (3) mentor teachers and administrators. However, I hope this book has something to offer all educators, no matter where you are in your career.
New or Struggling Teachers
If you are a new or struggling teacher, it is important for you to know you are not alone—we have all been there! All teachers have felt ill-prepared to teach students, struggled to establish a culture of learning, or felt like no matter what they do, students just won’t listen or interact with the material. Teaching is the most important and sometimes the most stressful job if you don’t have the proper strategies, trainings, and mindsets. I encourage you to read this book with intention and planning. No-Nonsense Nurturer strategies allow you to bring your personality into the classroom and how you choose to implement each strategy through the relationships you build with students. There is no reason you should have to figure it out on your own. This is the playbook of how highly successful educators set the tone for success in their high-performing classrooms.
Midcareer Teachers
Midcareer teachers will likely view this book as a reboot or boost to their current teaching practice. If you are a midcareer teacher who is finding success in your classroom, consider these strategies as affirmation of your practice. Other strategies might be new to you. Take them on! They will support you on your journey as a No-Nonsense Nurturer.
Mentor Teachers and Administrators
As a mentor teacher or administrator, you have an important responsibility to support and coach teachers in your school. Being a successful classroom teacher is an accomplishment; however, finding the language to explain success and coach it effectively is a completely different skill set.
As you read this book, you will find that you already implement some (if not most) of these strategies in your classroom or observe high-performing teachers implementing them in theirs. This book will help you identify and build the language of successful teaching practices you can use to support and coach your teachers to become No-Nonsense Nurturers.
About This Book
This book is divided into two parts. Part 1 investigates the relationship-building paradigms of ineffective and effective educators. This helps set the stage for part 2, which explores the strategies and philosophies of high-performing educators—No-Nonsense Nurturers.
In part 1, chapters 1 and 2 review the relationship-building paradigms many teachers have with their students and how these relationships distract or support classroom management and culture. In part 2, chapters 3 through 6 present the strategies of No-Nonsense Nurturers and the importance relationships play in creating a culture of excellence in highly effective classrooms.
In addition, the end of each chapter provides reproducible reflection activities to support your learning. The reflection activities offer you the opportunity to reflect on your current and future practices and philosophies as No-Nonsense Nurturers. You may complete these reflection activities individually or in collaborative teams. Videos in chapters 3 through 6 offer real-life examples of how teachers use the No-Nonsense Nurturer four-step model in their classrooms.
An Important Note to Readers
I am an urban educator, and I completed the initial research for this book in historically marginalized and traditionally disenfranchised communities (Klei Borrero & Canter, 2018). The original No-Nonsense Nurturers I studied are also urban educators dedicated to combatting the deficit-based