Connected Teaching: Relationship, Power, and Mattering in Higher Education

by Harriet L. Schwartz, Laurent A. Parks Daloz (Foreword), Judith V. Jordan (Afterword)

At a time when many aspects of the faculty role are in question, Harriet Schwartz, the author of Connected Teaching, argues that the role of teachers is as important as ever and is evolving profoundly. She believes the relationships faculty have with individual students and with classes and cohorts are the essential driver of teaching and learning.This book explores teaching as a relational practice – a practice wherein connection and disconnection with students, power, identity, and emotion shape the teaching and learning endeavor. The author describes moments of energetic deep learning and what makes these powerful moments happen. She calls on readers to be open to and seek relationship, understand their own socio-cultural identity (and how this shapes internal experience and the ways in which they are met in the world), and vigilantly explore and recognize emotion in the teaching endeavor. Connected Teaching is informed and inspired by Relational Cultural Theory (RCT). The premise of RCT is that the experience of engaging in growth-fostering interactions and relationships is essential to human development. RCT’s founding scholars believed the theory would be relevant in many different settings, but this is the first book to apply them to teaching and learning in higher education. In this book, the author shows that RCT has much to offer those devoted to student learning and development, providing a foundation from which to understand the transformative potential of teaching as a relational practice.

Genres: Teaching, Nonfiction

192 pages, Paperback

Published May 14, 2019

Reviews

[Peaches · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this a few weeks ago, but hadn't typed my notes yet, so here we are. This is a valuable book that emphasizes how to have professional, but compassionate relationships with students. I loved the focus on care and community. My few issues were that 1. Scwartz talks about millennials (p. 1) when current students (at least adolescents or younger) definitely are not in that demographic, making her come off as a total boomer early on and 2. It's not always a wise idea to disclose a lot of personal information to students, even if it's on learning. When I was in my doctorate program, I shared with some of my students my experience of publishing, and one wrote in a final course eval that I "wasn't a real teacher, just a student" like them. I had three degrees already by that point and was floored at how rude and misguided it was.

[J Haydel · Rating 5 out of 5]

After a semester of remote teaching and a real struggle trying to figure out how to help students in the midst of the pandemic, this book was like drinking cool clear water after an intense workout. Powerful and meaningful reflection on how to create a teaching practice with relationship at its core.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very insightful, particularly in the time of COVID-19.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, I really enjoyed this book! It helped me reflect on my own teaching. I thought that the author brought up some really great points that help put words to my own teaching philosophy and brought a up some ideas that challenge my way of thinking. I was a bit bothered by the sections that talked about students being Millennials. In 2019 (when the book was published), most traditional graduating undergraduate students would be Gen Z. Many junior faculty members (and grad students like me who are new to teaching - I’m a baby Millennial) are Millennials themselves, so it seemed odd to me to point out generational differences between student and faculty in this way. Just a small thing. Otherwise, this was a great book!

[Liz Norell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the content of this book (5+ stars), but it is so incredibly dry in its writing (3 stars)... by which I mean that Schwartz writes this like a 150-page research paper, where even the vignettes feel like sanitized examples. I wanted to feel, well, *connected* to this book. While I found much grist for further thinking and my own work, I never felt terribly emotionally engaged with the author or these concepts. I wish it had been different.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this over months because it was for faculty book club, so I only read the chapters we were on each time. It has a lot of really good thoughts, and I am working to apply them not just to teaching, but to my career advising as well. I hope to discuss with my team as well.