Positive relationship between teachers and students is the strong strategies seem to be effective. Conversely, a weak or negative relationship will mute or even negate the benefits of even the most effective strategies. Perhaps, the most powerful message is that relationships are a matter of student perception. They have those relationships.
That theory of Goodenow 1993, Marzano, Pickering and Hefelbower, 2010; Wentzel, 2009; Wubbles, Brekelmans, Van Tartwilk & Admiral, 1999 provide some answer in what constitutes good teacher-student realtionships and how do you develop them if they don’t exist.
Teachers will certainly have an affinity for the majority of the students in their classrooms, but from time to time they may react less positively to given student. However this won’t really affect how student perceive his or her relationship with the teacher. The major factor is how the teacher interacts with the students.
The following teacher actions develop the perception in students that they have a good relationship in them. Showing interest in students live by knowing students by name; asking them what they thought of present occurrences, such as, a sports, game, popular movie or songs; asking them what they’re interested in; and simply inquiring whether school is going well for them.
Advocating for students; students believe that teachers are advocating for them if the teachers appear to want the students to do well in class. Certain teacher behaviors against this perception, such behavior says to students that the teacher is more committed to an arbitrary criterion than to student’s success.
Teachers can promote the perception of the teacher advocacy by setting up times when students can talk individually with them, asking struggling students if they need assistance and helping struggling students determine what they need to work on most.
Never giving up, this perception means that even when students don’t perform well or when they get behind in their assignments, the teachers continues to offer ways to help them catch up. The teacher might establish small group tutorial sessions that students can attend or enlist peer tutors from among those students who have mastered the material. Never giving up on students also includes being a cheerleader for some students, telling them to “hang in there” and keep trying. Teachers might also relate personal stories of when they had particularly tough time with the class.
Fostering the perception of friend relationship has nothing to do with how “friendly” a teacher actually feel. Many teacher behaviors promote this perception of friendliness. Like, a teacher might banter or joke with students; smile or make eye contact; or when appropriate place a hand on a student’s shoulder or pat a student on the back.
These teacher behaviors can, with rare exceptions, make all students feel that they have a positive relationship with their teachers. Teachers should engage in this behavior daily, especially with their disenfranchised students, who are most in need of this positive support.
By: DEO DERRO L. DUCOT |T-II | MNHS-Cabcaben
