Teacher/Student Relationships

1. Positive Relationships

1.1. Students put forth more effort to succeed for themselves and their teacher.

1.1.1. Students know that their teacher believes in them and that they can do hard things. They get affirmation throughout the learning process.

1.2. Kind words are exchanged

1.2.1. If students and teachers are using kind and encouraging language with each other, that would model for student to student.

1.2.1.1. Positive environment for all is created.

1.3. Stronger relationships with families and more willing to collaborate as a team of teacher, student, and family.

1.4. Students will be more willing to ask questions because they are comfortable and trusting.

1.5. Teacher and students take the time to get to know each other and the conversation in the classroom is more than academics.

1.5.1. Students feel comfortable with coming to the teacher to get advice about personal problems.

1.6. Teachers and students can try new things that they normally wouldn't.

2. Importance

2.1. Relationships are what the students remember years later.

2.2. The relationship a student and teacher have could change a student for the better and help them find a niche that they didn't know they had.

2.2.1. Connection: My 3rd grade teacher inspired me to become a teacher. She was the perfect teacher for me and I knew I wanted to be just like her.

2.3. Sometimes students don't have positive role models in their lives, and a teacher can be that for them.

2.4. Students learn more than academics from teachers. They learn life skills that they will take with them for the rest of their lives.

2.5. It only takes one good teacher to change a student's life.

3. Negative Relationships

3.1. Students might say things like "I can't do this" or "this is too hard".

3.1.1. Students will have a fixed mindset, rather than a growth mindset

3.2. Students will give up easily.

3.3. Conversation among students and teacher will be all about academics.

3.4. Families are not trusting of the teacher and might complain.

3.5. Teach students that they aren't good at a subject and discourage them from ever wanting to try.

3.6. Students could distrust all teachers.

4. Positive Experiences in the Classroom

4.1. Community circle conversations each morning

4.2. 1-1 Conferring

4.3. Greeting each student each morning in a personal way

4.4. Asking students about their personal life, not always talking academics

4.5. Student-led activities and experiences

4.6. Open communication with students and families

4.7. Providing effective feedback to students after assignments and assessments

4.8. Allowing students to collaborate with each other and the teacher as a facilitator

4.9. Attending activities outside for your students such as sports games/performances.

5. Negative Experiences in the Classroom

5.1. Calling students out for having a wrong answer in front of the whole class

5.2. Marking wrong answers with an X, with no explanation

5.3. Not providing effective responses when students try something new.

5.4. Not giving students the opportunity to guide their learning or make choices for themselves.

5.5. Teacher having mentality that they come and go each day and students are just there.

5.6. All academic talk.

5.7. Student is having a bad day and teacher just ignores and moves on with the lesson.