Back to School

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Attachment is crucial to healthy relationships at home and in school.

I'm a little late in posting this recommendation, but the story is still well worth hearing: Check out This American Life's podcast "Back to School" (#474), which was aired on 9/14/12.

The story looks at the "non-cognitive elements" of success in school and discovers attachment theory, which is an important way of thinking about the ways people (students, children, parents, etc.) relate to each other and to ideas. The narrator, Ira Glass, considers the help young mothers can get in learning how to attach to their children and shares research that shows how important relationships, both at home and in school, are to long-term academic and personal success.

The story acknowledges the importance of caring, educative support for young mothers, their children, and at-risk teenagers. What it does not mention is the importance of caring, educative support for the teachers to whom students need to be able to attach. If it can be difficult for some parents to attach to their own children, how much more difficult can it be for teachers? So, for those of you who listen to this podcast, I leave you with the question:

What about the teachers?