Students Want Teachers To Be Mentors, Friends
Positive Student-Teacher Relationships Impact School
January 27, 2022
While every student is required to attend school and engage in the classroom, many students are not excited to come to school every day.
“School can be very draining,” sophomore Annalise Stepp said. “I personally work better independently and at my own pace. School is not that; it drains me.”
Positive teacher-student relationships can be one of the most important parts of the school day because they enable students to feel safe and secure in their learning environment.
“It was always a lot easier to get comfortable in the classroom or ask questions,“ sophomore Annamarie Malena said.
She said she found a friend in many of her teachers.
“It was nice to come to school and have someone to talk to,” Malena said. “That is how it was with me and Ms. Sullivan my freshman year. She understood what I was saying and made it easy to talk to her and relate.”
These teacher-student relationships not only have an impact on students but also on teachers and staff. They build relationships through extracurricular activities such as Student Council, yearbook and magazine, Beta and Interact clubs, sports and other activities.
She understood what I was saying and made it easy to talk to her and relate. — Annamarie Malena
A Berkeley research study in 2016 showed that students view someone as a good teacher by someone who listens to and takes interest in a student’s life.
“Students bring a lot of joy and youthful energy to our everyday life,” social studies teacher Kendall Benner said. “Having students cooperative and actively engaged in class leads to a more comfortable classroom. Those few students we are really close to mean a lot to all of us.”
Teachers are often looked up to as leaders throughout the school.
“My teacher being on me to do my work really keeps me motivated in school,” junior Alyssa Berryman said.
She said she appreciated when she could find a friend in a teacher.
“It is really cool to have a teacher you can form a sort of bond with,” Berryman said.
The American Psychological Association reported that improving students’ relationships with teachers has positive, longterm effects on the teachers and students. Having a positive working relationship with teachers and staff can positively impact a singular classroom as well as the school.
