Student-Teacher Relationships

Of course being interested in a particular subject makes sitting in a classroom enjoyable and enables students to get through any given class period. But more than having an interest in the topic, having a relationship with one's teacher goes even further in accomplishing this end. I do not mean this in the sense of the student-teacher relationships that we all see plastered over the news, telling us of the sexual indiscretions to which some educators are party. When I say that it is vital for there to be a relationship between teachers and students, I am talking about not only seeing one another in these two roles, but rather having a deeper connection closer to that of friendship.
While the establishment of a positive student-teacher relationship seems to be something easily accomplished, it is quite the contrary. On the one hand, creating a relationship of this nature is difficult because of the fact that students often see their educators as authority figures and nothing else. However, on the other hand, teachers must tread carefully so as not to cross any lines and, at the same time, maintain the status of authority figure within the classroom. In large part, these issues of forging a positive relationship rests upon a mutual understanding of teachers of their students and vice versa.
For those of us who work with students it is often difficult to remember what it was like when we were their age. This first step is necessary in teachers forming an understanding of their students. Remembering what it was like to be in our students' seats is key because it allows us to recall what we thought of our teachers at that age, which in turn opens up the possibility of understanding what it is that those we are teaching think of their educators. By forging positive relationships of this nature with our students, they become much more eager to listen to what we have to say and to learn from us.
From my experience these relationships do not stem solely from how the two roles interact with one another in the classroom. The teachers I always had the deepest connections with were those to whom I could relate, those who took a vested interest in my education. But they also took an interest in me as a person. They were the teachers who asked me questions about what I took an interest in, and made the effort to stay up to speed with my activities. I even had a handful of teachers who I would see on the sideline at my sporting events and those of my classmates. These teachers, who took a vested interest in my life, both in the classroom and outside of it, are those who I had the best relationships with and who have influenced my educational life the most.
It is these teachers who are the reason I have taken such an interest in my own education and am pursuing a career to help others come to the same realization for themselves. A study conducted in 2009 suggest that those students sharing a healthy relationship with their teachers have been known to achieve higher success rates. The earlier in one's educational career one begins to form positive and healthy relationships with teachers, the more successful the individual will be as a student.
As teachers we of course aim to impart our particular areas of expertise to our students, but more importantly we hope to impact their lives in a lasting manner. We, as educators, hope to influence students to continue to actively pursue their education.