2. The Research
“…relationships…more powerful and less expensive
way to improve student’s success.”
“…students with positive attachments to their
teachers and schools have higher grades and
higher standardized test scores.”
“Secure teacher-student relationships predict
greater knowledge, higher test scores, academic
motivation and fewer retentions and spec ed
referrals.”
Science Daily – June 30, 2009
3. The Research
“There is a directly proportional relationship
between teacher connection to students and
the likelihood the students will learn at a
higher level and accomplish quicker.”
California State University System, 2010
4. The Research
“A significant body of research indicates that
academic achievement and student’s
behavior are influenced by the quality of the
teacher-student relationship.”
“…73% of students in the study who were low
achieving, perceived their teachers as
thinking poorly of them.”
Englishpage.com, 2010
5. Common Sense
Research aside, common sense tells us that
a student who feels more comfortable in a
school, classroom and with a teacher has a
better chance of performing at their best
6. How to Establish Positive
Relationships in 5 Steps
Step 1
The Greeting
Warm
Confident
Be in the same mood today as yesterday
NOT
Irritable
Grumpy
7. How to Establish Positive
Relationships in 5 Steps
Step 2
Establishing the Relationship
Outline the daily task every time where students
can see and read it – teacher sets the scene, not
students
Have and follow a routine
Give students choices about assessments and
assignments
Be a real person
8. How to Establish Positive
Relationships in 5 Steps
Step 3
Getting down to Task
Have resources available
Be organized
Be flexible
Pay attention to student’s interest level
Keep it lively
9. How to Establish Positive
Relationships in 5 Steps
Step 4
Close the Lesson and the Relationship
Briefly provide a synopsis of how the lesson went
Provide students with your thoughts on their
behaviors and your performance
Be more positive than negative
10. How to Establish Positive
Relationships in 5 Steps
Step 5
Reflect and Plan
Briefly reflect on the personal and academic
interactions
Plan for future lessons with these thoughts in
mind
11. Based on Instruction
Notice that the 5 Steps are based on
instruction
Like discipline, you can’t separate
relationships from instruction
You are a teacher…you instruct for a living…
your relationships must be based on
instruction and the connection you establish
with students in the arena of the classroom.
12. Other Techniques
Find something positive about even the most
challenging student and let them know it
Show belief, trust and high expectations
Make the classroom a “safe place”
Not be sarcastic
Be sure that they experience some success
each day
Use “we” and “our” to describe the classroom
community
13. Handling Challenges to the
Relationship
Stay calm and speak quietly
Acknowledge and validate the feeling
Show interest
Give time for student to “calm down”
Be aware of responses and don’t take it
personally
Be prepared to truly listen
14. Characteristics to Increase
Respectfulness Accept personal
Firmness responsibility for
student success
Fairness
Practice an “extended
Consistency
teacher” role
Interesting
Be persistent
Decision making skills
Express a sense of
Problem solving optimism with students
Realistic expectations that they will learn
15. Caring
Students want teachers who care about them
and are not afraid to show that caring
Sometimes this is scary because we feel we
give up a sense of control when we show
caring
Actually we gain power when we show we
care…sometimes you gain power by giving it
away
