Across disciplines, evidence consistently shows that the quality of teacher–student interactions is a powerful predictor of engagement, persistence, and academic achievement.¹ High-trust, psychologically safe classrooms foster deeper inquiry, higher‐order thinking, and lower dropout rates—outcomes every institution values.²
The GENUINE model offers a practical, research-based framework for fostering those relationships. Each letter represents a core principle:
Generous, Engaged, Nice, Unafraid, Integrity, Non-Judgmental, and Empathetic.
These aren’t just ideals—they’re teachable behaviors that build trust, create mutual respect, and help you earn the right for teachers and students to see the behaviors in your school as behaviors to emulate in all aspects of their lives.
¹ Roorda, D. L. et al. “Teacher–Student Relationships and Academic Engagement.” Frontiers in Psychology, 2024.
² Edutopia. “A Guide to Psychological Safety for Educators,” 2023.
The Culture-Building Challenge in Schools
Most educators master classroom relationships informally, by imitating mentors, trusting intuition, or piecing together well-meant but fragmented advice. This tacit approach leaves faculty without a replicable “playbook” for aligning colleagues and students around consistent, prosocial behaviors. Predictable obstacles follow, not for lack of effort, but because the relational practices that shape a healthy school culture remain ad-hoc instead of systematic.
Why does this matter? Research on relational pedagogy makes the case:
Trust and psychological safety foster open communication, resilience, and stronger academic performance when students face high-stakes challenges.
Relationship-centred teaching elevates engagement and growth. Learners who feel known and valued demonstrate higher motivation and persistence.
Supportive classroom climates build emotional resilience. Positive teacher–student interactions reduce burnout, aid recovery from setbacks, and regulate stress.
In short, stronger relationships create stronger learning communities. If your school is ready to cultivate a sustainable, high-performing culture—grounded in evidence-based relational practices—the GENUINE framework is designed to help.
Learn more the repeatable process for great school culture
Our academic offerings, 1 day workshops, multi-session courses, and faculty development intensives, equip institutions to embed these seven principles into curriculum design, advising, and day-to-day school life. Participants leave with:
Research-aligned strategies for creating relationally rich learning environments.
Assessment tools to measure growth in staff culture.
Implementation guides tailored to K-12, higher-education, and adult-learning contexts.
By integrating GENUINE practices, institutions reinforce the relational foundation that drives intellectual rigor and student success. We have identified the consistent behaviors of the teams, coaches, and players we admire. Applying them on your team will enable you to have more successful relationships across your organization. We offer
All program options include action oriented content and resources for applying the behaviors for faculty and students.
Preview the diagnostic or learn how GENUINE came about here.
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