Teaching with Trust
An educator’s guide to transforming learning environments into communities built on radical trust, empathy, and connection.
Teaching with Trust is a professional resource that provides clear support on how to build learner-centered, trust-based communities in your classroom or school. Many educators want to foster student agency and build authentic relationships, but lack concrete tools and relatable models to do so. Drawing on author Carissa Solomon’s classroom-tested strategies, this book bridges the gap by explaining the philosophy behind learner-centered education and offering a clear path to transforming school culture through empathy and connection.
Whatever your school setting or role, Teaching with Trust shows you how student empowerment and agency can help students thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. Practical guidance and authentic examples show how to put these ideas into practice. This framework can help you make learner-centered education a reality.
Discover strategies for promoting connection, student agency, and self-direction
Learn from authentic examples demonstrating learner-centered education in diverse school settings
Engage families in understanding learner-centered practices
Shift toward learner-centered cultures at the school or district level
Increase student autonomy and provide personalized learning
Avaliable for Preorder
Book release on August 18, 2026
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Book release on August 18, 2026 〰️
Bonus Resources
Teaching with Trust is not meant to sit on a shelf. It is meant to be tried, tested, adapted, and lived alongside young people.
Below you’ll find resources created both by my students and by me. These tools are here to help you bring learner voice, agency, and connection into your own classroom or home.
Trust in Action
These aren’t polished marketing pieces. They are real examples of what happens when students are trusted with meaningful responsibility.
Temperature Checks in Practice
In my classroom, temperature checks are a simple but powerful way to build self-awareness and community. This short video was created by students to explain how the routine works and why it matters.
Student-Created “How to Teach” Manual
Yes, you read that right. Students designed a guide for teachers outlining what helps them learn, what builds trust, and what shuts it down. It is honest, thoughtful, and full of insight that we would be wise to heed.
Voice Through Reading
Stories help young people explore identity, empathy, courage, and belonging. Reading is even more powerful when students get to choose their own books. These resources are designed to help you launch a choice reading practice in your classroom.
Book Recommendations for Ages 8 to 14
I curate and update a list of book recommendations for 8-14-year-olds that spark meaningful conversation and reflection. Join my community on Goodreads to see recommendations and add your own favorites.
Reading Reflection Worksheets
Downloadable reflection tools to help students think deeply about what they read and connect it to their own lives. These work in classrooms, book clubs, or around the dinner table.