I think one fundamental truth about being an educator is that it’s always a good idea to connect with our colleagues. We have such a shared wealth of experience you can tap into at any time simply by starting a conversation. Even so, we can still take on limits that restrict the kinds of advice, feedback and inspiration available to us. That’s why I’ve found it so important over the years to take stock of how I’m connecting to my educator community in our building, in our district and online. 

So to celebrate the power of building relationships, here are a few lessons I’ve picked up to help create strong, supportive and inspiring connections with fellow educators. Whether you’re new to the classroom, new to your school or seeking more frequent connection, I hope they can help you pour into yourself and your community for years to come.  

1. Connect across career stages 

Connect with educators at a similar stage – look around and see who else might be new to your department or to your building as a whole. At the same time, get to know colleagues who know your school community well and have the benefit of experience in the field. You’re not limited to connecting only with educators at the exact same career stage. Far from it. 

2. Take a wide lens

It can be easy to silo yourself within your department or your grade level. Those connections are great! These are typically the people you’ll work most directly with, design learning experiences with and celebrate your students’ progress with. But keep your lens open and extend some curiosity to what educators in other departments and in the grades before and after you are up to. I’ve found that the more you can expand who you’re connecting with and the perspectives you’re exposed to, the more you develop a sense of the educator you want to be and the confidence to grow in that direction. 

3. Value collaborations 

I love co-teaching. It’s such a cool way to get a vantage point into a colleague’s practice and perspective. And we can also expand what collaboration looks like by planning together or reviewing students’ assessments together. Consider the tasks that go into your preparations as more opportunities for connection, and see how that can bring more energy and inspiration into your weekly routines. 

4. You don’t have to “save up” support for the biggest challenges 

Even in the toughest seasons of our careers, we can still count on our peers to help shift our perspective and give us another way of approaching our challenges. But we don’t need to wait for a rough day before we make a request to connect or invite a colleague into our practice. As best you can, make those invitations sooner so that supportive exchanges are simply part of your way of being.

5. Reconnect with yourself often

As you’re looking to connect with others and explore insights from their experience, it can be easy to lose touch with your own. Reflecting on what sparks your curiosity and your joy for teaching is going to be your most consistent signpost to who you want to be in your classroom, for your students and for your own growth. For all the wealth of experience we have as educators, there’s nothing that can replace what you bring to this work by being uniquely you. 

6. Be patient

Last but not least, be patient with the process. Relationship building isn’t a one and done effort; it’s continuous. And so is our journey of discovering who we are for our students, our communities and ourselves.