How to Build Deeper Connections in the Classroom with True Colors

Please check out the Original Post of this article written by Daniel Climans after interview and published with Co-Teacher.

Relationships are more important than ever. In today’s era, educators need to be able to connect with their students both virtually and in the classroom. To be successful, teachers and students benefit from listening to and understanding one another - skills which are enhanced by knowing one’s True Colors. 

Stephanie Rothstein, creator of CanWeTalkEDU believes that the True Colors Personality Assessment (True Colors) allows teachers, students, and staff to understand what makes them and others unique - thereby enabling them to form stronger connections in the classroom. By knowing your color grouping, individuals are able to gain greater awareness of themselves and others - creating a more conducive environment for empathetic listening and understanding. Rothstein discusses how this can lead to improved learning and relationships in the classroom here. 

I’m a teacher and I just completed my True Colors assessment. Now what? How do I put this information to use to benefit and build stronger relationships with my fellow teachers and students?

The first step is to remember that this should be something that is always used and not just used at the start of the year. The first step is to help your staff and students take True Colors. After taking the assessment you can use the support materials on the site to help you present those results to staff or students. Then, as a teacher, I would use this information to first help me make balanced teams. The next step is to help your groups learn to talk to one another and introduce themselves to their team leading with their strengths.

What have you learned about building and maintaining relationships online since the start of the Pandemic? How has knowing your True Colors been helpful?

It is such a challenge to build relationships while virtual, but the very first step is to help people feel seen and understood. To maintain these relationships it is necessary to help students use their voice. Providing activities that allow them to share strengths and build on this initial analysis helps students really grow and learn from one another. I provide monthly challenge opportunities and reflections on these. Through these self reflections, I understand how they are feeling, goals for themselves, and the needs that they have moving forward.

What motivated you to start CanWeTalkEDU and what tools and services do you provide to schools and districts?

I have used True Colors in my classroom for 18 years. Once we went virtual, I needed a way to make it digital. After presenting a session on this topic to help educators think about how we can better approach working with staff and students, educators began to ask me for the resources I used in my classroom. I realized at that point, that creating CanWeTalkEDU was my needed next step. The website contains the digital assessment for elementary and middle school/high school/adult and provides resources in English, Spanish, and Italian with the plan to expand to other languages.

When you take the assessment, it automates sending you a breakdown of your score. The website provides educators the ability to download their own copy of the assessment so they can understand the data for their students. I also provide resources for how to apply this in the classroom and connect it to content. As far as services, I provide personalized support to schools and districts using and implementing CanWeTalk on an institutional or individual classroom level.

For more, contact Rothstein at @Steph_EdTech and visit her website: StephEdTech.com.

To learn about Connection Project: CanWeTalkEDU.com