SEEKAPOR | an Educational Companion

HARNESSING POSITIVE TEACHER-STUDENT RELATIONSHIPS

Are your students excited in anticipation of the day’s lessons or they panic immediately you are in sight?
Teacher-student relationship matters because it goes a long way to have an impact on the development of students and the teacher as well. When children have a positive relationship with their teacher, it provides an opportunity for good academic and social development.

A study by students of the University of Virginia says that teachers who foster positive relationships with their students create classroom environments which are more conducive to learning and are able to meet students’ developmental, emotional and academic needs. In essence, positive relationships foster good performance inside and outside the classroom.

Three instances that show a healthy relationship between a teacher and his student are:
1. A primary school student is being bullied by his classmates and he is able to talk to his teacher about it, trusting he will be protected by the teacher.
2. The child is sexually abused by an adult in the school environment or at home and the child is able to confide in the teacher.
3. A student is uncomfortable or has trouble understanding a topic and can walk to his teacher and express how he feels about the subject and what he does not understand.

Creating a healthy relationship with your student increases the student’s chance of experiencing a feeling of belonging in the classroom which can enhance academic performance. Students who have a high degree of closeness and support from their teachers are more likely to perform better than those who do not. Studies have also indicated that students who have more conflict with their teachers show more dependency towards their teachers in kindergarten and have low academic performance. This clearly shows the need to foster quality teacher-student relationships.

Students who have good relationships with their teachers are more likely to be excited about school, especially at the early stages of children’s development, where they are more likely to avoid school. A teacher they like makes them eager to learn and understand whatever they are being taught.

A good number of children spend most hours of the day in school, therefore it is important for the school environment to be made conducive for them to learn and grow. This promotes their mental well-being and has an impact on their emotional growth and how they react towards other people in society. Thus, the quality of teacher-student relationships has a long-lasting impact on students’ performance.

November 6, 2017

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