Improving the Teacher/Students Relationships
Improving the The Bond Between Teachers and Students
Ms. Devnich along with few of her students.
In order to create a safe and enjoyable environment for both students and teachers, there needs to be a strong aspect of teamwork. The relationship of students and teachers may not be important to some, but creating that strong bond between the two would greatly improve the attitude and motivation a student shows in that class. With the introduction of new clubs, after school programs, and other activities, the bond could greatly be strengthened by letting teachers take the time to spend with these students in the program.
From a teacher’s perspective, there are many different ideas on how students and teachers interact with each other. Ms. Devnich said, “I think it is an area that we could work on. I think it depends on the teacher and it depends on the student.”
An article from the American Psychological Association states that in order for students to be motivated and have a positive attitude in their class, they must have that strong relationship with their teacher. “Picture a student who feels a strong personal connection to their teacher, talks with their teacher frequently, and receives more constructive guidance and praise rather than just criticism from that teacher. The student is likely to trust her teacher more, show more engagement in learning, behave better in class and achieve at higher levels academically.”
According to a study done by Education Week, only about 46% of students feel like a valued member of society in their school.
Incoming Senior Cody Hall enjoying lunch with friends.
When it comes to whether students feel comfortable speaking to teachers for help, Mr. McCarthy claims, “I would hope so, but if not, the fact of the matter is that you don’t connect with every teacher and that’s why there’s counselors.”
From a student’s perspective, incoming Senior Class President Cody Hall states, “It varies between different teachers, due to some teachers wanting to be closer to their students more than others.”
In regard to a teacher’s effort in strengthening these relationships, Senior Researcher with Education Northwest, Vicki Nishioka, recommends, “talk to students to understand differences in their perceptions and expectations in class, research cultural differences between teachers and students to head off cultural misunderstandings, particularly around norms, styles, and language, and to teach and model perspective-taking for students in class.”
Helping build healthy relationships amongst students and teachers doesn’t take much effort at all, even speaking to a teacher and making conversation can help build a stronger relationship. Improvements in the school environment are definitely possible; however, it requires a certain amount of teamwork and effort to make things better from both sides.
