Classroom Matters:Student and Teacher Relationship

Pearl Patience Ugbobor

An important factor for effective learning

The classroom being a heterogeneous community of its own is a world of social interactions.

Teachers, students and contents for learning are all part of these interactions.

The roles of a teacher as one who facilitates learning, planning and organizing materials, resources and contents for learning goes beyond being a chalk board attendant.

The student –teacher relationship is an important factor in effective learning and the holistic development of the learner.

The  School is a formal setting, a place  where children go to learn and that is the first thing that should be on the student and the teacher’s minds when they enter the school building every day. That isn’t the only thing that can help to make a student more successful in school. A strong student/teacher relationship can make all the difference in how successful a student is.

Most children with learning problems can easily be reached and helped when there is a good relation between the teacher and learner.

Teaching involves interactions and so many skills that learners are greatly influenced by. The actions of a teacher and the learning and teaching process is a chain of cause and effect that students model and copy unconsciously on daily basis forming a social pattern and personality style for everyday life.

Student –teacher relationship is such that is built on trust by parents that their children are safe, loved and cared for in the hands of a teacher in the classroom. The teacher being “ in loco parentis” who is seen to assume the role of parents for certain hours daily fosters certain relationship with the students in the classroom and school environment .

A warm and receptive classroom with a teacher who understands her students, knowing their abilities , communicating with students positively and supporting them in their learning is the best temperature for  a good classroom. Being cordial kind in words and actions will help students learn. Experienced teachers know this.

Improving students’ relationships with teachers has important, positive and long-lasting implications for students’ academic and social development.  From conversation, questioning, feedback, instructions via classroom activities are important aspect of social interactions in the classroom which demands effective communication based on good relationship between the teacher and the learner.

Studies have shown that Students who have close, positive and supportive relationships with their teachers tends to attain higher levels of achievement than  students with more conflictual and distance relationships. If a student feels a personal connection to a teacher,  experiences frequent communication with a teacher, and receives more guidance and praise than criticism from the teacher, such student is likely to become more trustful of that teacher, show more engagement in the academic content presented, display better classroom behavior, and achieve at higher levels academically.

Positive teacher-student relationships draw students into the process of learning and promote their desire to learn (given that the content material of the class is engaging and age appropriate).

How does teacher-student relationship affect students learning?

·         A wise teacher brings joy to the classroom

·         When students feel loved by the teacher it accelerates readiness to learning and interest

·         Teacher’s involvement in student’s learning motivates students to learn even difficult tasks.

·         It enables the teacher to be flexible, listen to students needs and give support.

Little children in the nursery level can only thrive well on the love and affection of a teacher who is more of a mother than a facilitator. At that level, children come to school with high emotions of parental love and communication which must continue all through the hours of school. In fact the little ones lean much on teacher’s love than content for development.

At the secondary school level, most teachers are too reactive to students behavior  and  tend to  build  a proactive type of student-teacher relationship, a disconnection occurs for some students, who then may become disengaged at school and may not reach their full potential academically, socially, or developmentally.

In conclusion,

“Good teaching is charged with positive emotions. It is not just a matter of knowing one’s subject, being efficient, have correct competencies, or learning all the right techniques. Good teachers are not just well oiled machines. They are emotional passionate beings  who connect with their students and fill their works and classes with pleasure, creativity, challenge and joy.”(Liu, 1997)

Teachers who foster positive relationships with their students create classroom environment  that is conducive to learning and also meet students’ developmental, emotional and academic needs.

It is important that students should have  access to good relationship with their teachers for effective learning to take place.

The close bond of communication between teachers and students allow students to have freedom to learn and se the school as a place as home.

Teachers should see their roles as bridge builders  across students and learning challenges they may encounter.

Nothing else can take the place of good teacher-student relationship for effective learning.

……..from the teachers’ desk.