Giving Compass' Take:

· At a recent story slam sponsored by Chalkbeat, Sarah TeKolste and former student, Lori Jenkins, discuss the rough times in TeKolste's high school Spanish class that ended up bringing them closer together. TeKolste, being a new teacher, had to work hard to gain the trust and respect of her students at Emmerich Manual High School.

· How does this emphasize the importance of teacher-student relationships? And how can nonprofits involved in the education space work to cultivate that bond?

· Learn more about the power of teacher-student relationships to boost learning.

To say that Sarah TeKolste and her student, Lori Jenkins, started off on the wrong foot would be an understatement.

New to teaching, TeKolste had high hopes for her Spanish class at Emmerich Manual High School, but she was met with sullen students who missed their former teacher. TeKolste wanted to forge a connection with Jenkins and her friends, who sat each day in the back of the class making their displeasure with her teaching blatantly obvious.

But TeKolste didn’t give up — on teaching Spanish or trying to reach Jenkins, who was dealing with personal issues that made school the least of her worries. Now, years later, both agree the tears, exasperation, and efforts were worth it. The two have grown so close, in fact, that Jenkins made TeKolste the godmother of her daughter.

TeKolste and Jenkins were two of eight educators and students who participated in a recent story slam sponsored by Chalkbeat, Teachers Lounge Indy, WFYI Public Media, and the Indianapolis Public Library.

Read the full article about this Indianapolis teacher who won over her most skeptical student by Shaina Cavazos at Chalkbeat.