Bridging the Teacher-Student Connection Gap This School Year With Along

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Aug. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- At the beginning of a new school year, educators want to get to know their students, but time and resource constraints can make prioritizing teacher-student connections difficult. Along, a first-of-its-kind teacher-student connection builder, was created as a solution for educators to foster these authentic relationships within the realities of today's classrooms. Educators can sign up and use Along for free, and they can start using it in minutes.

When students are able to connect and form relationships, it drives a greater ability to learn, a stronger sense of self, and the potential for better life outcomes. However, multiple barriers to prioritizing these critical teacher-student bonds have created a "connection gap" in our schools.

"Along was purpose-built by educators for educators as a solution for bridging the teacher-student connection gap that is so prevalent in today's schools," said Samia Zaidi, Program Director for Along. "Building community by starting with simple questions, Along helps educators turn small conversations into actual connections. They are modeling the soft skills needed to create not just knowledgeable students, but whole students."

According to a recent survey of students from Gradient Learning, the nonprofit organization that offers Along, more than 70% of students pay attention or participate in class more when they have a strong relationship with a teacher. Additionally, 35% of students say it's awkward or uncomfortable for them to reach out to their teachers, and nearly a third (31%) are not having regular check-ins with their teacher. Also, as reported in a separate Gradient Learning Poll, 95% of teachers believe that every student can benefit from a mentor, and 83% of teachers say that mentoring helps their students develop greater confidence and self-efficacy.

This school year, Along can be implemented for free by educators across the country. The connection builder continues to be recognized by trusted, independent sources in education, including Common Sense Education, which named Along a "Best Tool for Back to School" for 2022.

Rochester Public Schools in Rochester, Minnesota, is using Along as part of a district-wide focus on building relationships in the 2022-23 school year, after piloting it with a number of their educators last year. 

"Relationship building should be the absolute number one priority for any adult who is going to have students in the classroom," said Will Ruffin II, Executive Director of Equity and Engagement, Rochester Public Schools. "That's what's truly important, not so much the book that's in front of the student. If their basic needs aren't met, learning is not going to occur. We knew that we had to find some way to offer a different kind of connection for our students and teachers, and Along filled that void for us."

Along offers access to hundreds of research-informed reflection questions, classroom activities, and educator practices. Educators can start using Along by choosing a reflection question, recording their own answer, and then sharing it with their students. Students will see their teacher's question in their Along account and can respond in whatever way they feel most comfortable—via text, audio, or video. Their answers go directly back to their teacher, eliminating peer pressure and starting to build essential one-one-one teacher-student connections.

To explore Along and to sign up for free, please visit https://www.along.org/.

For more information about Along:

• Along overview
• Research overview
• Additional resources

Along is a first-of-its-kind teacher-student connection builder provided at no cost by Gradient Learning, a nonprofit organization founded and led by educators who are driven to bring communities, schools, and families together in pursuit of meeting the needs of every student. Using simple, yet powerful, reflection questions, Along helps to solve the connection gap between teachers and their students by fostering authentic conversations. Along was named a 2022 "Best Tool for Back to School" by Common Sense Education, an independent and trusted source that educators turn to for support about technology to use in the classroom. With the support of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Gradient Learning partners with communities, schools, and educators to create solutions—such as the Summit Learning program and Along—to meet the holistic needs of every student while fostering success for all.

SOURCE Along