“I know I can succeed by being who I am. I have the support I need to grow both as a person and as a student.”
At Digital Arts & Technology Academy (DATA), we want students to feel understood. This means students can be free to be themselves without being afraid of what other people might think. We want students to be comfortable with themselves, teachers, and the other students who are in their classes. This means being known.
Being known is more than just making sure other people know your name. It means being able to learn new things in a place where you feel accepted and cared about. This includes:
- Knowing I don’t have to be afraid to be myself
- Knowing others understand that I am not perfect, and they still care about me
- Knowing that each day I am growing through learning, even when facing difficult challenges
- Knowing that “failure” is a path to growth, and not to be feared
- Knowing that school is more than what I do—it is part of who I am and who I am becoming
- Knowing that creativity and compassion are part of learning new things
- Knowing that what I look like is an expression who I am, but it does not define what I can do
Learning happens when you are relaxed and engaged. When you no longer worry that others will judge the ways you sound, look, speak, and act, the barriers that keep you from learning are lowered. You forget to be anxious or afraid, so that you can focus on new ideas or talents. When you are learning your place in the world, you can explore ideas and talents in ways that emerge free of judgment and negativity. You take risks.
Acceptance is a Two-way Street: Other Students
The flipside of being accepted for who we are means that you also accept others. You might have questions about other students, like who they are, what they believe, or what they experience each day. At DATA, we use Connection Circles so that students have a chance to interact with their peers and get to know them more deeply, like what they care about and what they believe in. When you engage with others in Connection Circles, you can sometimes see yourself in others who are also working to define themselves and their world. This makes acceptance easier. You can also connect with and support other students who have their own perspectives that may be different from your own. At DATA, we are intentional about helping students feel accepted. At DATA, you can grow in your ability to accept others and to feel connected to those you may have seen as different from yourself
Faculty and Staff: No “Us v. Them”
At the Digital Arts & Technology Academy (DATA) feeling known at school includes connecting with faculty and staff who are there to guide and support your efforts. This might look like:
- Collaboration between students and staff: we are one community
- Trying to understand what is being asked of you
- Trying new ways to solve problems
- Knowing that you are valued in the classroom
Feeling known happens when we are not feeling judged or when we are not judging others in ways that limit their (and our) creative and academic efforts.
The freedom to learn is a right denied to many people: social, physical, or political barriers often get in the way. Being known can help us grow by recognizing that we are part of a valued, diverse community. It removes barriers that keep us from learning.
The importance of being known is explored in Ron Ritchhart’s Cultures of Thinking in Action (2023). While making the connection between teaching and learning, the psychology of both teacher and learner makes a difference. Ritchhart’s Mindset #4 (of 10) means “feeling known, valued, and respected” (https://www.cultures-of-thinking.org/4-feeling-known).
When you feel known you are more likely to accept academic challenges and act in ways that support a positive classroom mood.
Ritchhart provides real life examples of what teachers can do to lower barriers to learning by helping students feel known. These include:
- greeting students by name at the door as they enter the classroom
- asking students to consider the “why” behind disruptive behaviors
- admitting when they themselves make a mistake
- simply getting to know students as human beings
DATA actively engages in these activities; it is part of our culture; a part of our environment; a part of who we are and what we believe.
A friendly and caring environment benefits both students and teachers. It lowers the potential for conflict and challenging days in the classroom. At DATA, our staff model what it means to accept one another by demonstrating the behaviors they wish to see in their students.
The emotional tone in the classroom is important. When you feel understood and accepted you can enjoy new challenges. Learning can emerge in unexpected and nontraditional ways. It is part of who you are.
Adolescence is an important time. The questions of being a teen often center around “Where do I fit in? Does anyone care? What will I do in life?” Individual students can shape their own answers but first must feel that those around them care enough to hear their voices.
At the Digital Arts & Technology Academy, we help students feel comfortable enough to be themselves, to make mistakes, to try and then try again, and to succeed. In this way, we are excited to welcome you as a valued member of our community. We look forward to knowing who you are, and who you are becoming.