Research conducted for the International Boys' Schools Coalition, of which Saint David's is a member, is clear. Strong teacher-student relationships are essential to effectively reach and teach boys. Studies conducted by Dr. Michael Reichert, a renowned researcher on educating boys and our in-house Visiting Scholar for this school year, have found that the relational dimension – where a boy knows and feels that he is valued, cared about, and understood by his teacher – is vital. In fact, "establishing an affective relationship is a precondition to successful teaching and learning." Sharing common interests or experiences, having high expectations for classroom conduct and work quality, and responding to personal interests of each boy are a few of the ways that teachers can forge strong connections with their students. For even the best teachers, however, there come times when connections might be strained, causing frustration for both teacher and boy. When this occurs