Humanize Learning: How to Thrive in the New School Year

Starting the new school year strong is more than a routine tune-up—it’s an opportunity to humanize learning in transformative ways that produce positive, lasting impact. As the Chief Learning Officer at Thr​ively and someone who has spent nearly 25 years leading and learning in K-12 education—from classroom teacher to assistant state superintent—the start of the school year has always been an exciting time for me. As we begin the 2025-2026 school year, I am also excited to share insights on a few research-based (and practitioner-approved)  ways to start this academic year strong. 

Thrively was founded on a core philosophy that every child has a genius and they deserve to thrive. We begin with  “What’s strong with you?” Not what’s wrong with you. Our core mission is to bring a paradigm shift to education through asset-based learning; we do this by working with educators across the country to create strengths-based, joyful and hopeful learning environments that increase student academic outcomes.

Humanize Learning: Begin with “What’s Strong With You?”

Humanizing learning begins with understanding each student’s unique strengths, aspirations, and goals. Begin by asking students, “What’s strong with you?” This question shifts focus from shortcomings to strengths, creating an environment where students are celebrated for their capabilities. During my time as an elementary school principal, I hosted “Strengths Days,” where students showcased talents through performances, exhibitions, and workshops. Students lit up with pride, and the energy it brought to the school was palpable.

1. Know Every Student by Name, Strengths, Aspirations, and Needs

An essential first step in starting strong is knowing every student’s name, unique strengths, and personal goals and aspirations. This isn’t merely about collecting data—it’s about being genuinely curious and committed to understanding each individual’s contribution to the collective classroom and school culture. As a high school English teacher, I dedicated the first few weeks of the school year to engaging in one-to-one conversations with my students (yes, all 150+ of them), discovering what made them ‘tick’. Beyond fostering trust and rapport, it helped tailor lessons to better engage learners.

2. Create Inclusive and Safe Learning Environments

Creating a psychologically safe environment is foundational for learning. Inclusive spaces should prioritize student well-being. Real-time wellness check-ins can be critical in this process. For example, during my time as a superintendent of schools (this was during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic), we implemented daily wellness check-in sessions that gave K-12 students space to name, explain and explore their feelings and concerns. This approach fostered an atmosphere where students felt heard and respected, leading to a more engaged and  human-centered learning community.

3. Instill Hope through Goals, Agency, and Pathways

Hope isn’t just a feeling; it’s a cognitive trait that we can measure and nurture by helping students identify and pursue their goals. During my time supporting state-identified Priority and Focus schools as regional director of education, a student-led initiative called “The Pathways Project” was designed to enable students to create vision boards mapping out their academic and personal aspirations. Encouraging students to imagine and articulate their dreams and goals instilled in them a sense of purpose and agency, setting a tone of optimism and possibility for the rest of the year.

4. Monitor Student-Teacher Relationships: Connection Over Programs

School culture isn’t created by programs; it’s built by individuals who feel connected to a community. Deepening these connections should be intentional and systemic. As the chief academic officer of a 20,000 student school district, I introduced “Connection Cards,” where teachers noted and shared positive observations about each student weekly. This not only heightened awareness of student accomplishments but also provided students with a written acknowledgment of their contributions, strengthening teacher-student relationships.

There is a quote by Maya Angelou: “Do the best you can until you know better. Then, when you know better, do better.” I am reminded of this quote because during each phase of my professional career I implemented practices and resources to humanize learning (or what I knew at the time about this work); however, when I reflect on these experiences, I wonder how my actions and the actions of my colleagues would have been amplified and maximized if we had a systemic way to operationalize our efforts.  

What if there was a way to operationalize this work, to be provided with targeted resources to act intentionally, and to engage in professional learning designed to give you confidence to say, “we see and know everyone in our learning community.”

Join the Thrively ‘Connections’ Community of Practice

I invite you to join the Thrively  ‘Connections’ Community of Practice. As a participant you’ll gain access to exclusive resources, collaborative opportunities with innovative educators from across the country, and a learner-centered platform for professional growth—all designed to humanize learning and to help you create the conditions to start and stay strong this school year! 

Interested in learning more? Explore the following resources and contact me directly at marion@thrively.com: 

• Humanize Learning – Thrively Overview Video 
• Guide to Create Strengths-Based Learning Environments 

Your partner in humanizing learning,

Dr. Marion Smith Jr. 

Chief Learning Officer 

Every child has a genius and they deserve to thrive.