Voices of Educators
How teachers use RLP to improve classroom culture
Introduction
Teachers are on the front lines of human development. Every day, they witness the full spectrum of emotions—frustration, excitement, anxiety, curiosity—and must guide students through all of it while maintaining order, compassion, and fairness. This reality makes educators uniquely positioned to understand the deep need for social and emotional development in schools.
The Relationship Literacy Program (RLP) equips teachers with practical, evidence-based tools for creating classrooms where emotional safety, collaboration, and respect thrive. Educators consistently report that RLP not only improves student behavior but also transforms the overall climate of teaching and learning. This article amplifies those voices—revealing how RLP empowers teachers to build stronger communities and reshape the educational experience from the inside out.
Why Classroom Culture Matters
Classroom culture is more than a pleasant environment—it is the foundation of academic and social success. Research shows that students learn more effectively in emotionally supportive classrooms, participate more willingly, and show greater resilience in the face of challenges (Jennings et al., 2017).
McKinsey’s State of Education (2023) highlights that emotionally healthy classrooms outperform others in student engagement, teacher satisfaction, and learning outcomes. When students feel safe, they take intellectual risks. When they feel respected, they cooperate. When they trust their teachers, they thrive.
RLP strengthens these pillars by teaching skills that help both teachers and students navigate emotions, communicate needs, and resolve conflict constructively.
What Educators Say: The Impact of RLP
1. “My classroom became calmer, almost immediately.”
Teachers consistently report that RLP’s emotional regulation strategies—breathing resets, reflection prompts, tone awareness—have an almost immediate calming effect.
One elementary teacher in Hawaiʻi shared:
“Before RLP, transitions were chaotic. After implementing RLP breathing and listening cues, students settled faster and conflicts dropped dramatically.”
This aligns with research showing that even short mindfulness or emotional-awareness interventions reduce classroom disruption and increase student focus (Zenner et al., 2014).
2. “Students started resolving conflicts without me.”
RLP emphasizes student-led conflict resolution. Teachers introduce practices like “Pause and Paraphrase,” “I-Messages,” and “Restorative Circles,” giving students the language and structure to handle disagreements.
A middle school teacher summarized the shift:
“Instead of yelling, they began asking questions like: ‘What did you mean?’ or ‘Can we fix this?’ It’s incredible to watch.”
This directly echoes findings from restorative justice research: when students are trained to repair harm, disciplinary incidents decrease by up to 45% (Payne & Welch, 2015).
3. “RLP strengthened my relationship with my students.”
Teachers often note that RLP gave them a deeper understanding of students’ emotional needs.
RLP’s tools help teachers:
listen without judgment,
set boundaries with empathy,
identify underlying emotions,
respond instead of react.
One educator shared:
“Students opened up more. I learned what was behind their behavior rather than just trying to control it.”
This shift reflects McKinsey’s research showing that emotional attunement enhances trust, which in turn improves learning outcomes.
How Teachers Use RLP in Daily Practice
Mindful Beginnings
Many teachers start the day with two-minute mindfulness, gratitude prompts, or “emotional temperature checks.” This fosters calmness and sets a positive tone for learning.
Listening Circles
Weekly listening circles allow students to express emotions and build empathy. Teachers report fewer misunderstandings and greater peer support.
Conflict Toolkits
Teachers keep RLP toolkits on the wall:
“Pause and Breathe”
“Name the Emotion”
“I-Message Formula”
“Let’s Solve This Together”
Students learn to reference these tools independently.
Collaborative Agreements
Classrooms co-create norms rooted in respect and accountability. These agreements empower students to take ownership of their community.
Case Study: A Transforming Classroom
At a school integrating RLP in Los Angeles, one 6th-grade teacher noticed a large reduction in classroom conflict within a month. Before RLP, lunchtime arguments carried into class and affected learning. After introducing emotional vocabulary, restorative conversations, and listening exercises, students began arriving calmer and more focused.
By the end of the semester:
disruptive incidents decreased by 52%,
students were more willing to participate,
peer support increased, and
teachers reported higher job satisfaction.
This transformation echoes findings from Durlak et al. (2011), which show that social-emotional learning (SEL) increases academic performance by 11 percentile points.
Why Educators Trust RLP’s Approach
Evidence-Based Tools
RLP aligns with best practices in social-emotional learning, neuroscience, and restorative education. Teachers value that the program is both practical and scientifically grounded.
Inclusive and Culturally Responsive
RLP honors diverse backgrounds and communication styles. Educators appreciate that the content is accessible and adaptable across cultural and linguistic contexts.
Support for Teachers’ Well-Being
Teachers note that RLP improves their own emotional resilience—not just students’. By learning to pause, breathe, and reframe, teachers report feeling less overwhelmed and more connected to their purpose.
Alignment with 21st Century Skills
Collaboration, empathy, conflict resolution, and communication are now essential competencies. RLP supports teachers in preparing students for a socially complex world.
Conclusion
Educators are powerful builders of human character. Through RLP, teachers gain tools that help them create environments where respect, empathy, and emotional intelligence are woven into daily life.
The voices of educators are clear: RLP does not simply improve behavior—it transforms culture. It strengthens relationships, empowers students, and restores joy in the teaching and learning process.
As one educator put it:
“RLP gave me hope. It helped my students become better human beings—and it helped me become a better teacher.”
References
Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis of school-based universal interventions. Child Development, 82(1), 405–432.
Jennings, P. A., Frank, J. L., Snowberg, K. E., Coccia, M. A., & Greenberg, M. T. (2017). Improving classroom learning environments by cultivating awareness and resilience in education (CARE). School Psychology Quarterly, 32(3), 324–339.
McKinsey & Company. (2023). State of education: Student well-being, teacher resilience, and the future of learning.
https://www.mckinsey.com
Payne, A. A., & Welch, K. (2015). Restorative justice in schools: The influence of race on restorative discipline. Youth & Society, 47(4), 539–564.
Zenner, C., Herrnleben-Kurz, S., & Walach, H. (2014). Mindfulness-based interventions in schools—a systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Psychology, 5, 603.