Teacher-Student Relationships

Define
The relationship between a teacher and his students is one of the most influential factors in a learning
environment. This is a key element affecting students’ progress, engagement of school and academic
motivation, a teacher-student relationship from the basis of the social context also.

Interactions between teacher and student are not only affected by many factors like gender but in turn,
also affect behavior and academic outcomes of students .

Qualities of a good teacher

The qualities of a good teacher are endless, never the less. Nevertheless, among these, we can mention
few basic traits that an educator has to have, in order to be called a capable teacher. Qualities such as,
kindness, self control, duty, reliability, sportsmanship and truthfulness are among the many of
characteristics of a good educator who wants to have a nurturing and nourishing relationship with
students. 

For example, the kind and reliable teachers are always available for their students mentally and
physically; they spend many of their precious time after school to help a students learn a subject matter.
Through many of our experience that each of us had, during our schooling period, we could relate to
many stories that we have heard or read or encountered personally about teachers and student
relationship. Many of these stories have shown us that the effect of a good relationship turn a student
around and changed his or her life.

Positive and supportive relationships between students and teacher

Positive and supportive relationships between students and teacher ultimately increase an intelligence
of belonging and motivate students to willingly take part in different classroom activities. It is very
important that the interaction between a teacher and his student should be supportive of the learning
environment. The relationship between teacher and student has been found to have immense effects
on learning and schooling experience of the student.

An educator should plan to enhance their communications with students to allow for quality learning. If
the relationship between teacher and student is positive, it has several benefits at all levels of an
educational establishment, inside the classroom and across the whole school environment. There are a
number of advantages from increased engagement to the self-esteem of establishing a positive teacher-
student relationship between instructors and pupils of all age groups.

The presence of positive student-teacher interactions alone does not change to academic success, but
learners that create a strong bond with their tutor to perform better than those learners who have some
conflict with their teachers. Teachers can help in improving the academic success of the students by
expressing confident expectations for every student, giving students similar opportunities to take part in
class discussion and motivate students that they are self-confident in their ability to get success when it
comes to their homework or coursework.

Benefits of positive Teacher-student relationship

A healthy and positive relationship between students and teachers can be enormously favorable at all
stages of an educational institution, inside the classroom and across the whole school environment. A
positive relationship between continues to develop, its benefits not only teachers and students but also
parents and administrators as well. It-

Promotes Academic Success

 the presence of positive and supportive relationships alone does not get an academic success, but
students that create a strong bond with their teacher do perform better than students whose behavior
with their teachers have some conflict.

Helps to develop self-worth

Positive teacher-student relationships are beneficial for students, especially for those students with
learning difficulties and with low economic status.  

Professional Growth

One primary benefit of a healthy student-teacher relationship is that the teachers work to improve their
interpersonal and professional skills.

Methods to improve teacher-student relationships

Provide structure

A mainstream of the students responds well to a structured environment. So, teachers should elucidate
clear expectations to their students. Rules and regulations must be followed and continuously
reinforced.

Teach with enthusiasm and passion

Teachers should teach the students with enthusiasm and passion. It will help to create a positive
learning environment in the class. Effective educators are those who have the skill to get the best out of
all students in their class. Evolving the positive student-teacher relationship is the basic factor of quality
education and student learning.

Display a positive attitude

Positive attitude promotes a sense of belonging and encourages learners to take part cooperatively in
study activities. Where students are not constrained by the fear of failure, it will enhance confidence
level to do experiments. Teachers should help the students with inspiration and set the objective and in
turn to them for guidance.

Make learning fun

Fun learning helps to build a good relationship between students and teachers.

Treat students with admiration

Teachers should treat students with admiration. It is true that a teacher who respects their students will
get more respect from their students.

Negative Teacher-student relationship

When teachers experience negative relationship or negative interactions with their students, teachers
feel stress and internalize these feelings. Teachers also feel negative effects when their relationship are
characterized as disrespectful or distant (Split et al, 2011). Teacher training institutions, principals, and
schools’ boards of management must emphasize the importance of teacher professionalism at all times.

The first type of negative teacher-student relationship I want to look at is usually created by young,
inexperienced and immature teachers who are new to the profession.  In an effort to gain acceptance
and approval from students, they become too friendly or familiar.  They consider students as peers and
give them too much latitude.

The second type of negative and inappropriate teacher-student relationship I highlight may be physically
non-sexual, but is improper, nevertheless.  It occurs when teachers, including experienced teachers, fail
to maintain a professional distance between their students and themselves.  They get too close to and
too personal with students.

This type of negative and inappropriate teacher-student relationship is often facilitated by computers,

mobile devices and the social media, which are all very prevalent today.  Many emails, text messages
and instant messages go back and forth among students and teachers every day.

As for the social media, studies show that most people think that teachers should not have students as
Facebook friends.  Speaking about teacher-student use of social media, Charol Shakeshaft commented:
“My concern is that it makes it very easy for teachers to form intimate and boundary-crossing
relationships with students.” She is the chairwoman of the Department of Leadership of Virginia
Commonwealth University

Conclusion

If a teacher displays enthusiasm and pleasure in teaching it can rub off on their students. Students will
do more of what you want them to do when they like and respect you and are engaged and interested
in their studies. A good relationship will lead to the best possible long term outcomes for students and
educators the same.