Usable Knowledge “Before the Big Times Roll In” Building trust by getting real, from the start Posted February 21, 2017 By Usable Knowledge Teachers and Teaching To create an environment where students are prepared to have tough conversations, teachers first need to build trust and community."I feel like sometimes we get so caught up in curriculum, we get so caught up in testing, that we forget how to teach people to be people," says Teisha Thomas, who teaches English Language Arts to middle school students at The Springfield Renaissance School in Springfield, Massachusetts.It's vital for teachers to show students how to communicate when they're upset and how to acknowledge different perspectives, Thomas explains. And when students understand that these are classroom norms, they have the tools and attitude necessary to tackle any difficult discussion. Usable Knowledge Connecting education research to practice — with timely insights for educators, families, and communities Explore All Articles Related Articles Usable Knowledge Optimism Stronger than Fear Immigrant and refugee children are resilient and determined to contribute. Will we stop them — or support them? Usable Knowledge The Bilingual Learner's Journey A new lens on how teachers can support English-language learners by affirming their identities Usable Knowledge Anti-Muslim Bias