Relational Realms

Book excerpt: Relational Realms offers context for the exploration of positive relationship building. It is rooted in the contention that relationships consist of various internal and external ways of knowing and being that constantly and interactively release and retrieve energy which, when acknowledged and worked through, can result in authentic and relationally healthy environments. In our present divided era, educators hold the potential to be societal change agents by engaging in a transformative way of relating to students, families, and other educators; Relational Realms offers such a pathway. Through this book, we offer a map for navigating relationships and analytical tools that provide theoretical and practical contexts for getting to the heart or root of positive relationship building in school environments and beyond. Relational Realms consists of a complex web of internal and external ways of knowing and being that challenge our emotions. Within the text, we lay out the key components of the 8 Relational Realms, and present the relationship among them. They include the following: relational epistemology, relational knowledge, relational knowing, relational cultural knowing, relational dissonance, relational value, relational spiritual knowing, relational competence.