Towards future-proof education with relational work

Balloons in Summa's colors, a slice of chocolate cake for everyone, and pink decorations. The Summa auditorium at Sterrenlaan 4 in Eindhoven was festive in every way on Thursday, June 16th. And rightly so, because the new professorship: "Relational Working in an Educational Organization," was being launched.

Presenter Leon van der Zanden immediately captivated the packed room of over 120 people with his enthusiasm. A video was shown of former student Jos, who talked about his learning journey and his dreams. "At age six, I was told at school that reading and writing wouldn't amount to much. I wanted to prove them wrong and gave it my all to achieve what I wanted." He ultimately completed two vocational programs and enjoys his work as a work planner at an innovative construction company.

Practitioner Jenny Zwijnenburg elaborated on this example in her speech. "At a very young age, Jos was judged, likely based on test scores. His elementary school teacher apparently didn't recognize his perseverance. If you had looked closely at Jos back then, you would have seen that this was a child who wanted to work very hard to achieve his dreams. And that he had people around him who were willing to support him in that."

What she's saying is: You can get lost in the numbers, which causes you to lose sight of the person. And that personal touch is precisely what relationship-based teaching is all about. "Seeing the other person is so important if you want to provide good education. Only when you truly immerse yourself in someone else. When you really get to know a student, you know how to best support them as a teaching professional. You do that based on the relationship you have," Jenny explains.

Relationship-based work is already being actively practiced in many places within Summa – both consciously and unconsciously. First and foremost, practors Jenny Zwijnenburg and Hans Panjoel will map out current practices. They are doing this together with various involved colleagues from across the organization. The book 'In Verbinding', published by Summa and reporting on the practorship's first study, is an example of this. In that study, relational working is explored through thirty stories from education staff. The practorship employs action research as a method to both gather knowledge and effect improvements. Once current practices have been mapped out, follow-up research will focus on the question of how relational working can be further strengthened at all levels of the organization. This requires effort from education workers, but changes in systems and structures are certainly also necessary. After all, these can significantly hinder the ultimate purpose of education. Students are actively involved in the research, for example in research into diversity and inclusion within the organization.

The professorship helps Summa transition to a values-driven organization and fulfill the vision outlined in its strategic course: Summa2025. Summa is a meeting place in this process. An open learning community, where there's room to make mistakes and grow. To discover who you are and forge your own path. This allows us to optimally support students in taking their next steps as individuals and finding a valuable place in society.

Henk Slagt, a member of the Summa Executive Board, also shared his vision for future-proofing education. "I envision a future where we no longer talk about diplomas and educational attainment, but about talents. Currently, a student's educational attainment is still too heavily determined by the subjects in which they score lowest. Let's focus on the positive aspects."

A beautiful message that demonstrates Summa's motivation for change. Incidentally, Summa is not the only party involved in the practorship; Stichting Presentie also contributes to the research. They have over twenty years of experience with relational work, particularly in healthcare. To inaugurate this collaboration, a ribbon was not cut in the traditional manner. 'That symbolizes opening something. But we want to connect, so we are tying two ribbons together.'

The relationship between teacher and educational professional isn't the only thing Summa wants to focus on. Changes need to be made throughout the entire educational organization. Lisette Bastiaansen is a researcher, writer, and educator. Her presentation focused on the application of relational work in education. By revealing her vulnerable side, she gained sympathy from the audience. Not a boring presentation about—in her words—"theories of male educators who are now dead and haven't raised children of their own," but a concrete application of theory. "We are out of balance when it comes to setting expectations and giving genuine attention to others. How selfless is your attention? When is the relationship balanced between loving and limited?" These thought-provoking questions were even given to participants to take home, as they were handed out with a ribbon.

Subsequently, eight workshops were held across four buildings, all led by colleagues on various themes, all with the relational aspect of education as a common thread. The session on "Trauma-Sensitive Education" provided a glimpse into how students with trauma might experience education. Participants inflated a balloon and then closed their eyes. Teachers Kees and Roos walked around with a razor-sharp nail and told a story about… Yes, what was it again? The participants were so alert to the possibility of their balloons being punctured that they barely paid attention to the content. The "Presence Approach and Education" workshop offered participants examples and tips for working relationally in practice. A "Diversity and Inclusion" workshop immersed participants in a world of conscious and unconscious biases, inclusive leadership, and tools for a more inclusive school.

The afternoon concluded with a presentation by Andries Baart, founder of presence theory. He complimented Summa on establishing this practitioner program on relational work, making it the first of its kind in the Netherlands. Afterwards, there was drinks, where all participants received a beautiful booklet to take home, containing information on relational work and stories from teachers, team leaders, caretakers, and other educational professionals. A fitting end to an inspiring afternoon.