Importance of Teacher Student Bonding

The Importance of Teacher Student Bonding

Usually, students spend almost 1000 hours of the year with their teacher in a conventional academic school. This is sufficient time for the teacher to ignite a lifetime love in the heart of a student towards the learning or completely distract him from the same. There is a long-lasting impact on children's development due to the existence of efficient bonding between the teacher and the student. The students holding a strong bond with their teachers tend to perform much better in their education and learning prospects (Bilgin & Geban, 2006). If the bonding between the teacher and the student is not effective then it not only puts an adverse influence over the learning of the student but also affects the grooming of the student marginally. A student feels more comfortable and safer in the environment of a classroom when he/she carries a positive relationship with the teacher. The thesis statement of the study is “There is significant importance of positive relationship between the teacher and the student”. The paper will use various academic sources for analyzing and interpreting the above-mentioned thesis statement. The study will also focus to explain the importance and implications of the bonding existing between the teacher and the student.

When there is a positive relationship between the teacher and the student, the intelligence along with the motivation of the student for participating in the classroom activities will increase substantially. The positive interaction between the students and the teachers motivate the students to perform better in the class (Bouchard & Smith, 2016). It develops self-worthiness amongst the students boosting them to overcome the learning difficulties. Such kind of relationship also provides an opportunity for the teacher for improving the professional and interpersonal skills of the student appropriately (Eymur & Geban, 2016). For example, a student might be experiencing some kind of alienation in the classroom from some other students around him. The students coming from low socioeconomic backgrounds might start feeling that they do not belong to the school. School is the only environment controlling their behavior at that moment with positive or negative influence over their personality or learning skills (Krane, Karlsson, Ness, & Kim, 2016). The teachers can overcome such kind of behavioral issues experienced by the students to make them feel a significant part of the group. The teacher can make the students feel part of the team instead of a distinct warrior.

A positive relationship with the teacher and the student supports them in carrying out healthy communication with each other that plays a critical role not only in the school premises but also outside the school. A teacher can understand the problems of his/her students trying to shape his/her teaching style to interact in a much better manner with the student supporting them to witness success (MacKenzie, 2019). It is essential to mention that the teacher cannot address the problem of every specific child in the classroom, but the teacher receives a general idea from the healthy communication which he/she can mold in the lessons appropriately to be more effective in the classroom (Quin, 2016). When the teacher expresses a certain level of respect and trust with the students then it positively triggers a passion amongst the students for learning and making the teachers proud of them. All the attitudes of the teacher including dealing with the students nicely, praising them with a smile, words for encouragement, and applauses tend to enhance the motivation level of the students for performing well (Roorda, Jak, Zee, Oort & Koomen, 2017). When the students realize that the teacher is not mocking or taunting them over their questions or opinion in the classroom, the students will start feeling the classroom a safe place. In such situation, students do not hesitate to ask any sort of educational question or sometimes general questions that will tend to improve the attention of the student in the classroom because his/her questions are recognized and addressed by the teacher (Uslu & Gizir, 2016). It supports the students in developing their opinion towards the subject matter and they start sharing their ideas without hesitation.

One of the potential barriers in academic learning and performance is the disparity. The equity carries much importance in case of socioeconomic trends, access to literature and technology. If the teacher attempts to play with the favorites in the class, he/she might be able to make room for himself in the good books of some students (Bilgin & Geban, 2006). However, when the teacher tries to develop an equal relationship with all the students in the classroom, it supports him in developing a positive relationship with all the students. Therefore, the teacher needs to communicate with his/her students for understanding the variations between their expectations and perceptions in the class (Bouchard & Smith, 2016). The teacher must make an effort to research cultural differences between him/her and the students for overcoming the cultural and behavioral misunderstandings. He/she must attempt to carry out model perspective-taking for the students in the class (Eymur & Geban, 2016). The first job of the teacher in the class is to develop a cultural understanding for its students to affirm them their self-worthiness for performing effectively in the classroom.

It is essential to mention that interactions between the teacher and the student do not change the academic performance of the student to success; however, it creates certain motivation amongst the students for performing better than the learners that are carrying some conflict or issues with the teacher (Krane, Karlsson, Ness, & Kim, 2016). It is also possible for the teachers to improve the academic success of the students by providing them clear expectations from each of them providing them with an opportunity to participate in the class discussions and motivating them to deliver the required level of self-confidence to them for completing their course or homework with flying colors (MacKenzie, 2019). The focus of the educator must sustain positive communication with its students for allowing quality learning.

There is an implication relating to the teacher-student bonding that the relationship should not equate as a friend in the same context especially over social media. There is a strict regulation in various regions such as Australia, and the U.S relating to the connection between teacher and student over social media (Quin, 2016). It might open the teachers to be liable if they come to see any sort of unfitting behavior from the students online. Teachers are also not supposed to keep the abuse evidence to them that carry the potential of putting the students more in danger (Uslu & Gizir, 2016). If the teacher feels carrying a story that is appropriate and purposeful at the same time, he/she must consider sharing the same with the classroom as a part of the discussion (Roorda, Jak, Zee, Oort & Koomen, 2017). However, the teacher must ensure to make use of efficient models for evaluating the social conversations that are suitable to share with the students.

There are various opportunities available for the teachers to improve their relationship with the students. Most of the students respond to a structured environment in a better way; the teacher must communicate his/her expectations to the students (Bouchard & Smith, 2016). He/she must set certain rules and regulations for the students to follow strictly. It is also the responsibility of a teacher to ensure passion and enthusiasm while teaching the students. It will support him/her in the creation of a positive learning environment. The quality of the education and learning of the student hold a direct relationship between the teacher and the student (Krane, Karlsson, Ness, & Kim, 2016). The teacher must ensure the expression of positive attitude in the classroom leading to improve the belongingness of the students along with support and encouragement to the students for actively participating in the classroom activities. The teacher must make a genuine effort for integrating fun factors with the learning to develop his/her relationship with the students (Roorda, Jak, Zee, Oort & Koomen, 2017). Moreover, the teacher must never overlook the factor of admiring with the students. The teacher will be able to gain more respect from the students after giving them respect and love.

There is a dire need for establishing strong bonding between the teacher and the students. It delivers a wide range of benefits to the students including promotion to academic success, support for the development of self-worth, and professional growth. The teachers need to realize the difference between the relationship and friendliness; he/she must avoid crossing the line at any cost. There are various methods available for the teachers to improve their relationship with the students including teaching them with passion and enthusiasm, creating positive structure, displaying a positive attitude, making learning fun, and treating the students with respect and admiration.

References

Bilgin, İ., & Geban, Ö. (2006). The Effect of Cooperative Learning Approach Based on Conceptual Change Condition on Students' Understanding of Chemical Equilibrium Concepts. Journal Of Science Education And Technology, 15(1), 31-46. doi: 10.1007/s10956-006-0354-z

Bouchard, K., & Smith, J. (2016). Teacher–Student Relationship Quality and Children's Bullying Experiences With Peers: Reflecting on the Mesosystem. The Educational Forum, 81(1), 108-125. doi: 10.1080/00131725.2016.1243182

Eymur, G., & Geban, Ö. (2016). The Collaboration of Cooperative Learning and Conceptual Change: Enhancing the Students’ Understanding of Chemical Bonding Concepts. International Journal Of Science And Mathematics Education, 15(5), 853-871. doi: 10.1007/s10763-016-9716-z

Krane, V., Karlsson, B., Ness, O., & Kim, H. (2016). Teacher–student relationship, student mental health, and dropout from upper secondary school: A literature review. Scandinavian Psychologist, 3. doi: 10.15714/scandpsychol.3.e11

MacKenzie, A. (2019). Editor's Corner: The importance of student voice in the science classroom. The Science Teacher, 087(03). doi: 10.2505/4/tst19_087_03_6

Quin, D. (2016). Longitudinal and Contextual Associations Between Teacher–Student Relationships and Student Engagement. Review Of Educational Research, 87(2), 345-387. doi: 10.3102/0034654316669434

Roorda, D., Jak, S., Zee, M., Oort, F., & Koomen, H. (2017). Affective Teacher–Student Relationships and Students' Engagement and Achievement: A Meta-Analytic Update and Test of the Mediating Role of Engagement. School Psychology Review, 46(3), 239-261. doi: 10.17105/spr-2017-0035.v46-3

Uslu, F., & Gizir, S. (2016). School Belonging of Adolescents: The Role of Teacher–Student Relationships, Peer Relationships and Family Involvement. Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice, 17(1). doi: 10.12738/estp.2017.1.0104