Teacher-Student Relationships: A Study of Teachers’ Perceptions of Their Roles and Responsibilities and Their Relational Management Practices Elizabeth Goff University of West Georgia

Personal Reflection Experience as an Early Childhood Ed. Teacher Success with classroom management Many struggle with this aspect of the job The Teacher Student Relationship (TSR) was the heart of my success What do we know about TSRs and teachers fostering them? How do these teachers define themselves? How can we use this information?

What do we know about Teacher-Student Relationships and about teachers who foster them? Review of Literature

What the Literature Tells Us: Behavioral Outcomes for Students: Better student behavior (pro-social) Better attendance rates Lower drop-out rates Affective Outcomes for Students: Positive feelings about school Greater motivation to perform Higher self-esteem Better peer relationships Academic Outcomes for Students: Studies report greater math and literacy outcomes Higher levels of critical and creative thinking Greater levels of engagement in school work

Characteristics of Teachers: Race/ethnicity/age does not play a role Gender: female teachers Experience: less than 7 years of experience Engage in the following behaviors: Set expectations and guide students Set a tone of support and mutual respect Have an awareness of students’ needs

How do these teachers define themselves? Methodology and Results

Research Question: How do elementary teachers perceive their roles and responsibilities as teachers and what do these perceptions appear to have on quality teacher-student relationships?

Use a purposeful sample Used 3 sources of information to qualify teachers as having quality TSRs Found 11 of 12 participants matched criteria Scenario Response and Questionnaire Coded information from participant responses to determine roles/responsibilities Additional demographic data for an analysis of possible patterns One-on-One Interview Used a semi-structured interview protocol Coded information from interview responses and searched for themes within each case and among cases Plan for Research

Study Findings Teacher Roles Guide Nurturer/Caregiver Facilitator Supporter Teacher of standards/curriculum* Teacher Responsibilities Get to know the whole child Set clear expectations Provide a positive environment Demonstrate care/love Foster mutual respect Develop a connection with each student Transition student to independence Teach the curriculum*

Study Findings Participants believed that relationships were necessary for positive student outcomes “I think if you have taken the time to develop that rapport with the student and developed that relationship, you can get them where they need to be.” “…they really appreciate that positive, and so they are trying to do their best for me. I think that their academics improve because of that. Their achievement will improve because of that positive relationship that I have built with them.” “I think children will really learn and succeed and have positive feelings about learning and going to school.” (explaining outcomes of TSR) “By interacting with a child, it helps them know that you care about them. It helps them gain confidence.”

Patterns across participant group… Participant group was a fairly homogeneous group of teachers Age range: Median age: 41 Years of experience range: years Avg. experience: 17 years All teachers were White and female Diversity in student populations Range in grade level placements: K-5

How can we use this information? Recommendations and Action Plan

The Power of Perception Teacher Beliefs Teacher Behaviors Student Outcomes

Recommendations Begin with pre-service teachers Provide a component on relational management practices within the classroom management course based on these roles/responsibilities Use the University Supervisor position to highlight relational practices Journal feedback Observation feedback Include a discussion with regard to roles and responsibilities and management practices within courses Develop a teacher training module around the “how to’s” for developing quality teacher-student relationships in the classroom using these perceived responsibilities as a basis for that module Principals should consider teacher perceptions of roles and responsibilities as they search for the best teachers to fill positions in their schools

Personal Reflections and Action Plan Consider my role as an online educator of college students, and how this work translates to my practices Put more opportunities for interaction into my courses Attempt to get to know my students better Talk with supervisors at CTC and KSU Discuss possibility of presentation for practicum students/student teachers Training for University Supervisors

Questions or Comments? Discussion