The Teacher-Student Relationship

Publisher: S. Talbert

Date of Publication: Sunday November 13, 2016 07:34:30 pm

Date Modified: Monday June 24, 2019 11:21:44 am

I asked an immediate past student what can we do as teachers to help students maximize their potential, reduce distractions, and accentuate the good qualities they have; the ones they hide so regularly from their friends. I brought myself to ask this question because I brain stormed some measures we could implement as a school to help these students and I just thought that these measures would not have the far-reaching impact that is needed to effect meaningful change in students' behaviour and attitude. Most of the students I meet in my profession really have some excellent character traits, which can be honed successfully to undoubtedly produce productive and world-class citizens. But they often sacrifice not only these magnificent traits but also any incling to show others the inherent good qualities they possess due to fear of being rejected by their peers (See my thoughts on this in the subsequent blog). I was hoping that when I had asked this question he (the past student) would have approved one of my ideas- the implementation of an advice column via the new Talsofts App I developed and publish on Google's Play Store and the Windows App Store. Through this app students are able to solicit advice from reliable sources such as teachers, guidance counsellors, peer counsellors and others ANONYMOUSLY. However, his response is now the thesis of my blog: He said that teachers need to develop very good relationships with students like the one he and I have as it is through these types of relationships they will listen to what they are saying to them. The activities in my brain froze. Meaningful relationships with students are necessary to reach them he further advanced. I recovered myself and reinitiated cerebral activities. I feared that he may be right. I was just hoping that these students would just look into what we teachers say, realize that we are right, and then change for the better.

However, modern students demand more. They demand connection with the adult, love, and the feeling of being appreciated. Many psychologists, counsellors, social workers and other professionals that deal with young people will agree that reaching the modern youth can only be achieved through the development and maintenance of a profound emotional connection. To a young teacher just entering the classroom, the prospects of developing concrete relationships with students are absolutely frightening. The fear and impracticability of this endeavour are real. Some teachers do not want to be too "close" with students for many reasons. One of the reasons is that the line between the teacher and the student is sacred, and close relationships breach that line. In addition to the solemnity of the line, the line carries out a legal function as the line protects both the student and the teacher from any perceived and/or actual abuse. Hence the fear of even being perceived of breaching the line may influence teachers from staying very far from close relatiionships with students. Coupled with the fear, the impracticability of forming and developing these close relationships with students may prevent many teachers from pursuing any initiative intended to achieve this kind of objective. In most cases, teachers and students are strangers who would have met at school and who usually see each other at school. The immediate requirement of developing such a relationship with a complete stranger with whom you may only interact at school so that you can execute the tasks of your job with appropriate efficacy seems very impractical. Kudos to the many teachers who have achieved the feat, but it is unfair to blame others who have not been able to have these types of relationships with studens in light of the aforementioned. But there seems to be a need for more open communication between teachers and students at least as often the perception one has of the other may be completely divorced from reality.

In conclusion, I would recommend that both the teacher and the student show each other respect. Teachers must continue to encourage students to work at their best, be firm and fair in their classrooms, and employ strategies that may positively impact their students. There is no guarantee that the relationship between the student and the teacher may improve, but we teachers must just continue to do the right things.