Our Need for Human Contact

"Train yourself to be present," wrote Ellen Drolette, in her article, "Sustaining High Staff Morale" (Exchange magazine, July, 2016). "Be present; when you are with a person, be with her fully. If you are a director and a teacher comes to you with a concern, stop and be with her fully, using eye contact and avoiding all distractions including phones, computers, and others in the environment. 

As our jobs get more complicated with children and families and more technical, it is imperative that as a society we do not lose touch with human contact and the need for acknowledgement from our peers and supervisors. One way that I practice being present at home or in the office while also trying to work is to simply close the laptop and make eye contact with my husband as he tells me a story or I turn off my monitor so that I am not distracted by what is on it. This has helped me to stay focused on the conversation and the person who deserves my attention."

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