Improving the teacher-student relationship has critical, positive and long-lasting implication for student’s academic and social development and teachers’ job satisfaction. The positive relationship draws learners into the learning process and enables them to achieve high academic grades. Despite a lot of studies exploring the role of teachers in fostering a positive relationship, there are very few peer-reviewed articles that explore students’ behaviors that foster a positive relationship. Wilkins (2014) explored the behaviors that teachers considers important for good teacher-student relationships. Wilkins surveyed 103 urban high school teachers in a Northeastern state. According to the study, teachers rated being respectful, rule-abiding, demonstrating engagement, being cooperative and demonstrating positive social behaviors as important behaviors that promote positive teacher-student relationships.
In addition, teachers believed students who work hard, are humorous and respectful fosters good relationships. Wilkins notes that negative teacher-education interactions are a major source of stress that leads to stress. It decreases teachers’ commitment which affects teacher’s performance, absenteeism, and attrition. As a result, maintaining positive teacher-students relations is essential for teachers’ professional commitment and growth. Teachers have an enormous role in managing the classroom and establishing the rules and procedures for classroom behaviors. Despite the teachers’ role in fostering a good relationship, students are required to exhibit specific behaviors
In class as in life, the behavior of a student can have an impact on the ability of the students to be successful. As the authority figure in a class, the teacher has the ultimate responsibility for ensuring that every student’s right to study in a comfortable and convenient environment is respected. However, Deering (2011) noted that most educators are ill-prepared to handle disruptive behaviors in the classroom. Despite them reporting numerous cases of disruptive behaviors, they shy away from confronting the behaviors directly. The educators may hope that if they ignore the problematic behavior it will disappear but this not the case as most problematic behaviors escalate. Deering notes that teachers can manage these disruptive behaviors by establishing a confident and dominant leadership and engage students in a relaxed environment.
For example, respect is a cardinal virtue in the classroom and foundational to teachers and students commitment to ethical beliefs (Goodman, 2010). Teachers cite respect as an influential factor in cultivating positive relationships with students. It is self-evident to teachers and other education stakeholders that respect is prior to, and part of, all educational activities. In the Bible (Matthew 10; 24), while Jesus was giving a parable, he stated” the student is neither above the teacher nor a servant above his master.” As such, students are expected to show respect to their teachers. The Bible also requires students and all Christians to obey and respect the authority. Respect is an important ingredient of a positive relationship extends beyond classroom set-ups.
References
Goodman, J. (2010). Respect-due and respect earned: negotiating student-teacher relationships. Ethics & Education, 4(1), 3-17. doi:10.1080/17449640902781356
WILKINS, J. (2014). Good Teacher-Student Relationships: Perspectives of Teachers in Urban High Schools. American Secondary Education, 43(1), 52-68.
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