Relationship Mapping Strategy
Making Caring Common, a project of Harvard Graduate School of Education
For students, a positive connection to at least one school adult — whether a teacher, counselor, sports coach, or other school staff member — can have tremendous benefits that include reduced bullying, lower drop-out rates, and improved social emotional capacities. Rather than leave these connections to chance, relationship mapping invests time in making sure that every student is known by at least one adult.
This pair of tools — one for in-person settings, and one for virtual settings — aims to help school staff map relationships with students, identify students who do not yet have at least one positive relationship with an adult at school, and pair those students with supportive adult mentors.