Teacher-student relationship

Arun Bangotra
When a child first time steps in a school, he or she tries to make relationship with the people around him especially the teachers. If teacher start to understand his/her students, there will be a good relationship because when students have problems in school they can speak freely with there teachers and they can find solution together and students get the confidence. If that relationship and communication between teacher-student is good, the student will have more respect to the teacher and he/she will pay more attention in his class. But if that relationship is bad, then going to school and teacher’s class will be the biggest nightmare for the student and for the teacher. So if teachers form positive bonds with students, classrooms become supportive spaces in which students can engage in academically and socially productive. Students who have positive relationships with their teachers use them as a secure base from which they can explore the classroom and school setting both academically and socially, to take on academic challenges and work on social-emotional development. School is the place where students spend most of their day and when they come home, they are tired and want to sleep, or do home works, or just go out with friends, so the people that know the students better than anyone even parents are the teachers, the people that we see, talk, laugh and even dislike everyday. So a teacher play an important role in the trajectory of students, development of student’s character, behavior, growth and makes him a good citizen. Positive teacher-student relationships enable students to feel safe and secure in their learning environments and provide scaffolding for important social and academic skills. Teachers who support students in the learning environment can positively impact their social and academic outcomes, which is important for their long-term development.
Learning is a social event, and both teachers and students will pay the price if teachers neglect to form emotionally warm and supportive relationships with their students. To improve student’s chances for academic success, teachers must strive to form meaningful personal relationships with students. We ask ourselves, who is considered as good teacher? All of us have gone through schooling, and if fortunate had a favourite teacher, whom we can never forget through out our life for making us what we are today. The best gift a teacher can get from his students is when after so many years a student still remembers you as his favourite teacher. A teacher and student who have the qualities of good communications, respect in a classroom, and show interest in teaching from the point of view of the teacher and learning from a student will establish a positive relationship in the classroom. Students have different strategies for learning and achieving their goals. A few students in a classroom will grasp and learn quickly, but at the same time there will be those who have to be repeatedly taught using different techniques for the student to be able to understand the lesson. On the other hand, there are those students who fool around and use school as entertainment. Teaching then becomes difficult, especially if there is no proper communication. Yet, teachers, creating a positive relationship with their students, will not necessarily control of all the disruptive students. Student disruptions will occur frequently in classes that are poorly organized and managed where students are not provided with appropriate and interesting instructional tasks and teachers coming to class without any preparation of lecture. The key is, teachers need to continuously monitor the student in order for him or her to be aware of any difficulties the student is having. Understanding the student’s problem, fear, or confusion will give the teacher a better understanding the student’s learning difficulties. Once the teacher becomes aware of the problems, he or she will have more patience with the student, thus making the student feel secure or less confused when learning is taking place in the classroom.
The communication between the student and the teacher serves as a connection between the two, which provides a better atmosphere for a classroom environment. Of course a teacher is not going to understand every problem for every student in his or her classroom, but will acquire enough information for those students who are struggling with specific tasks. The more the teacher connects or communicates with his or her students, the more likely they will be able to help students learn at a high level and accomplish his task quickly. The teacher needs to understand that in many schools, the students come from different cultures and backgrounds. A teacher then needs to understand the value of the students’ senses of belonging, which can be of greater value and build self worth for minority students. If the teacher demonstrates an understanding of the student’s culture, it will provide a better understanding between the teacher and the student. Though there are students who have a difficult time in school and feel rejected and frightened because sometimes a teacher shouts at them. The feelings the student has towards such a teacher leads to inhibiting the student from learning. The reasons for student to be yelled at vary from teacher to teacher, but shouting should not be the solution for student who find education a difficult process or simply lack of learning experiences, but sometimes teachers find yelling at the student as the only quick solution.
Therefore, those teachers who demonstrate respect towards their students, automatically win favour by having active learners in their classroom. The arrogant or offensive teacher will lack these positive qualities due to his or her lack of control over the students. Teaching is a very noble profession where a teacher has to behave like a role model for the students. The way teacher talk, the way he or she is dressed up, although there is no uniform for teachers, but they must dress up and carry themselves decently. Sometimes Teachers restrict students from using mobile phones, but are using themselves in the classrooms, prevent students from using abusing language and sometimes had no control on their language and sometimes even threaten the students on the name of internal viva marks etc. Teachers should assert that students should be treated with care and respect and their responsibilities to ensure that students treat each other with kindness.
Motivation is closely linked to student’s perceptions of teacher expectations. The students shape their own educational expectations from their perceptions of their teachers’ expectations. Students who perceive that their teachers have high expectations of their academic achievement are more motivated to try to meet those expectations and perform better academically than others who perceive low expectations from their teachers.
Students learn when they enjoy learning, but also they need some control over the teacher’s decisions. Authoritarian control is often destructive to students. Student feels the urge to talk about their problems, fears, or even show their knowledge, but at the same time they want to be listened too. The student will feel valued and respected. Students feel flattered when the teacher eventually gives them the option of contributing, or in other words the teacher asks for an opinion, which is usually not offered to the students. The teachers does not have to give up all their control, rather teachers share control with students and encourage interactions that are determined by mutual agreement.
Therefore, how does a teacher hold a relationship that leads to effectively teach the student? The answer becomes clear when teachers interact with, and learn more about their students. Our first educational experience, which takes place in the primary years of our life, sets the principles for our future education. Every year a teacher deals with new faces and new attitudes. Some students find themselves lacking an interest in learning and others feel playing and fooling around at school with friends is the happiest moment of their life. The solution to inappropriate behavior will not automatically get rid of the poor attitude of these students, but is to establish a positive relationship. Teachers can establish a positive relationship with their students by communicating with them and properly providing feedback to them. Respect between teacher and student with both feeling enthusiastic when learning and teaching. Having established a positive relationship with students will encourage students to seek education and be enthusiastic and to be in school. Remembering our favourite teacher will be recognized because they had at least in one way or another the qualities although we are not aware of it during the time we are in school, but teachers are well recognized at a later time of our lives.
(The author is Principal, Govt. Polytechnic, Bikram Chowk, Jammu.)

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