Reprinted from Equity-Centered Trauma-Informed Education.
By Alex Shevrin Venet
As a teacher, I know how important it is to create clear expectations for my students and hold them to high standards. This also applies to me as I seek to build relationships with my students. The high standards I hold myself to in building teacher-student relationships come from my guiding philosophy: unconditional positive regard. This approach helps ground my equity-centered and trauma-informed work.
The term unconditional positive regard was coined by psychologist Carl R. Rogers, who developed an approach called client-centered psychotherapy. Here’s how Rogers described unconditional positive regard:
Alex Shevrin Venet is the author “Equity-Centered Trauma-Informed Education.” She is an educator, professional development facilitator and writer. She teaches in-service teachers at Antioch University and Castleton University, and undergraduate students at the Community College of Vermont. She is a former teacher/leader at an alternative therapeutic school.
