Teachers are the backbone of the education system on a global scale. The job of a teacher does not end at imparting enough academic knowledge to their students. A teacher is a caretaker, guardian, and guide for all the students who study under them. Teachers have been as influential as parents in the lives of students throughout school and college.
A good teacher-student relationship can work wonders for the students’ academic, non-academic and career growth. A good teacher will not just engage the students, but also connect with them and support them in their endeavours as the students deal with daily challenges.
Their methods may vary depending on the students, their ages, the education board they are a part of, the medium of instruction of their educational facility, but their ideas, philosophies, experiences, the behavior will adjust to the students’ needs.
How can teachers keep students engaged?
An observant teacher knows that one size does not fit all. Here are some very important steps teachers can take to build a strong student-teacher relationship:
● Story-telling: A good teacher will always teach the dullest of subjects with flair and passion. Teaching a concept through a story is a methodology which can help students understand the topic at hand better and increase the depth of their knowledge. A teacher which develops a relaxed environment in the classroom can engage the students better
● Practicals: One of the best methods to explain boring and heavy lessons to students is by conducting experiments. Through simple everyday activities, teachers can impart knowledge that will explain lessons in a safe and interactive way to students. Attention given to the safety of students at such times builds a strong bond between students and teachers of trust and mutual respect.
● Teamwork: A good way to build a strong bond with students is to make them feel as part of a team, in which the teacher is not the leader but a participant. Teachers who manage to engage students through teamwork and collaboration often get them to participate in classroom activities better
● No punishment but self evaluation: There are many incidents that cause the teacher to approach a student with harshness to instil discipline and a sense of right behaviour. But instead of punishing them, teachers would do better to engage in a dialogue and encourage students to evaluate their behaviour without the fear of repercussions. When such a method is deployed, students can strengthen their bond with the teacher as they realise that the adult in the room is understanding and accommodative.
● No punishment but self evaluation: There are many incidents that cause the teacher to approach a student with harshness to instil discipline and a sense of right behaviour. But instead of punishing them, teachers would do better to engage in a dialogue and encourage students to evaluate their behaviour without the fear of repercussions. When such a method is deployed, students can strengthen their bond with the teacher as they realise that the adult in the room is understanding and accommodative.
● Space: Giving students space to explore and make mistakes, as well as learn from them, is the best way teachers can form a bond of trust and camaraderie with the students. Pushing students to the edge has never worked for anyone, and teachers who understand this explore other methods of persuasion like gentle reminders, nudging and dialogue.
● Positive reinforcement: Celebrating achievements of each and every student in class for exceptional behaviour is important in building a strong relationship. Teachers can pat one student for good marks, while another can be lauded for a kind act they perform and the third can be encouraged for their creative artwork. Giving such positive feedback to students builds a good relationship with students and allows them to explore their own talents on a deeper level.
● Boundaries: Having done all this, there are times when teachers have to impose strict boundaries with students especially when gentle words and repeated corrections do not translate into good behaviour. The boundaries can be imposed by allowing the students to apologise, admit to their mistakes and correct them, or to firmly but gently ignore their behaviour until a good deed is done. Such strictness without punishment or cruelty can get students to get in line and follow the protocol and rules.
Important teachings that can be learned from a positive student-teacher relationship
● Strong teacher-student relationships can keep students from struggling in subjects they are weak at. Teachers can motivate students well to miss fewer lessons and work harder in their studies. This keeps the students from failing in class or falling behind their peers in studies. This is one of the most impactful ways a teacher can leave behind a good impression on a student.
● When teachers establish themselves as mentors to their students, they begin to build a rapport with them. Learners are more likely to pay attention in class and be more interactive when they realize that the person in charge cares about them. They understand that teachers truly want their students to succeed. This kind of rapport with teachers ultimately causes students to try harder in their studies. This often increases their academic performance and their knowledge of the subjects too.
● Personal connections with the students encourage them to work harder and motivate them to learn more. Students who do the work just for the sake of finishing it off are often not as successful as those students who do their work for the sake of learning it. These students truly want to gain knowledge, they develop a love for learning rather than just a need to pass a class with mugged up notes. This interest in learning is one that will be advantageous for them throughout their lives.
● One of the most important things that come out of student-teacher relationships is that they also tie into an individual’s emotional and social skills. Student-teacher connections that are affirmative can help children develop determination, confidence, positivity to name a few. When students evaluate themselves properly, they reach their academic goals as well as personal goals faster. This helps with increasing grades and also the reduction of a constant need for redirection from a teacher.
● Affirmative student-teacher relationships are also beneficial in terms of goal making skills for a student. Students learn to be better oriented with their work and they try to keep up with all the targets that have been set for them. Often this can be because they do not wish to disappoint their guide. This is associated with the student-teacher relationship as the learners want their guides to know that they can be successful and worthy of the responsibilities given to them.
● A positive student-teacher relationship can also teach students how to be more accepting of everyone. It also teaches children how to be more open about themselves as well. Teachers treat all their students impartially regardless of their backgrounds, their communities, or their cultural differences. Teachers are equally caring and firm towards every learner in their classroom. Students who have positive connections with their teachers learn this from them by observing their behavior and also attempt to do the same with their peers.
● One of the most intrinsic values learned by a student is empathy. Students see how teachers behave with any classmate who may be different from them in any manner. This could be a physical disability, or otherwise. Watching their teachers, the students also automatically develop a sense of caring and watchfulness around them. They treat these students in the same way they would treat any other friend, and they don’t let them feel that their disability is a hindrance in any way.
They also empathize a lot with the people in their different social circles. In schools, we often see how students help out their friends in all possible ways and support them through any problems that they may be facing. This is a trait that they learn from a positive connection with their teacher.
Students who have positive relationships with their teachers learn all these above aspects faster than their peers. Their interest in their work is also elevated. Teachers in the best schools in Abu Dhabi, India, Dubai, Malaysia, Singapore, etc. try their best to impart as much knowledge as they can to their students. This knowledge can be academic or it could also be a life lesson. Teachers try to be as helpful to their students as they can. They know that some of what they teach their students is bound to remain in their lives for a very long time. Therefore, they try to take it upon themselves to teach the most they can to the best of their abilities.
