Even as adults, forming relationships in a group setting requires risk. We must take chances not only to reach out and form a relationship, but also to foster and continue a relationship. This can be uncomfortable for all students, especially students with differences and disabilities. In our classrooms, a student may have tried to initiate and reinitiate contact and failed. Other students may have attempted to initiate conversation with a student who has a communication challenge and also failed. The combination of both behaviors can result in a “downgrade” of a student’s place within a group (see social identity theory earlier). In addition, these events may discourage a student from attempting to connect in the future.
I hadn’t fully thought about how much risk goes into forming relationships, especially for students with differences or communication challenges. It made me realize that when a student’s attempts to connect don’t go well, it can deeply affect their confidence and willingness to try again. As a future teacher, this helps me see how important it is to intentionally create opportunities for all students to build connections in a safe, supportive way so no one feels left out or discouraged.