Teacher Wellbeing: The Importance of Teacher–Student Relationships

Many studies have examined the importance of teacher-student relationships for the development of children. Much less is known, however, about how these relationships impact the professional and personal lives of teachers. This review considers the importance of teacher-student relationships for the wellbeing of teachers guided by the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping of Lazarus (1991). Based on theories on interpersonal relationships, it is postulated that teachers have a basic need for relatedness with the students in their class that originates from the close proximity between teacher and student. It is discussed that teachers internalize experiences with students in representational models of relationships that guide emotional responses in daily interactions with students, and changes teacher wellbeing in the long run. In addition, the notion of mental representations of relationships at different levels of generalization could offer a window to understand how individual teacher-student relationships may affect the professional and personal self-esteem of teachers. Lastly, it is argued that the influence of student misbehavior on teacher stress may be more fully understood from a relationship perspective. The review shows that few studies have directly tested these propositions and offers suggestions for future research

Relatiegerichte reflectie in het basisonderwijs met behulp van het Leerkracht Relatie Interview: Werkboek [Relationship-focused reflection in primary education with the Teacher Relationship Interview: Workbook]

Relatiegerichte reflectie in het basisonderwijs met behulp van het Leerkracht Relatie Interview is gebaseerd op wetenschappelijk onderzoek uitgevoerd in de onderwijspraktijk door Helma Koomen en Jantine Spilt in de periode 2005 tot 2013. De training is ontwikkeld als onderdeel van de Reflectietraining die coaches ontvangen binnen het onderzoeksproject Key2Teach: Een onderzoek naar Multi-Method Coaching. Dr. Patricia Vuijk is projectleider van het onderzoek Key2Teach (Email: [email protected]).nrpages: 1-23status: submitte

Zonder relatie geen prestatie: Het belang van een persoonlijke relatie met de leerkracht gedurende de schoolloopbaan

De affectieve kwaliteit van relaties tussen leerkrachten en individuele leerlingen is de laatste decennia een belangrijk onderwerp in de internationale onderzoeksliteratuur. Warme, veilige relaties zijn in veel opzichten gunstig voor leerlingen en bevorderen in de eerste jaren de ontwikkeling van taal en geletterdheid en in hogere klassen meer in het algemeen de betrokkenheid en motivatie voor leer- en leesactiviteiten en prestaties in verschillende schoolvakken. Conflictvolle relaties, daarentegen, belemmeren de ontwikkeling op school. Dit geldt voor jonge kinderen, maar zeker ook voor leerlingen uit de bovenbouw en in het voortgezet onderwijs. De kwaliteit van de relatie met de leerkracht is voor ieder kind belangrijk. Maar de grootste effecten zijn te zien voor kwetsbare groepen, zoals kinderen uit lagere sociale milieus en kinderen met leerproblemen. Vooral voor leerlingen uit dergelijke risicogroepen kan de leerkracht via de relatie een verschil maken.status: publishe

Teacher-child interactions and kindergartners' task behaviors: Observations based on interpersonal theory

The present study examined how teachers' interpersonal behaviors (control, affiliation) and complementarity tendencies (i.e., return low control with high control and high affiliation with similar affiliation) were related to children's task behaviors (engagement, performance). Furthermore, we investigated whether the strength of these associations depended on children's externalizing and internalizing behaviors. Our sample included 48 teachers and 179 kindergartners (94 boys; mean age=66.75 months) who were selected to represent a variation of externalizing and internalizing behaviors. Independent observers rated teachers' interpersonal behaviors and children's task behaviors. Teacher control was negatively related to both children's task engagement and performance, whereas teacher affiliation was not associated with children's task behaviors. Furthermore, associations between teachers' complementarity tendencies on control and children's task performance depended on the level of control that children displayed themselves. To conclude, teachers should be made aware that controlling behaviors could be detrimental for children's task behaviors.status: publishe

Language Development in the Early School Years: The Importance of Close Relationships with Teachers

This longitudinal study examined developmental links between closeness in teacher-child relationships and children’s receptive language ability from the end of the preschool years into the early elementary years, while controlling for changes in peer interaction quality and child behavioral functioning. The sample included children and their parents and teachers (N = 4,983) participating in the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC) at ages 4/5, 6/7, and 8/9 years (three waves). Teachers reported on levels of closeness in relationships with individual children. Independent assessments of receptive language were employed. Parents and teachers reported on peer interaction problems and child conduct problems. Results indicated reciprocal associations between close teacher-child relationships and receptive language development above and beyond associations with peer interaction quality and child behavioral functioning. However, the effects were only modest.Included in the Australian Governments Department of Social Services (DSS's) Longitudinal Surveys Electronic (FLoSse) Research archive:http://hdl.handle.net/10620/4137.status: publishe

De invloed van persoonlijke relaties met leraren op het schools leren van leerlingen

In wetenschappelijk onderzoek is steeds meer aandacht voor het mogelijke effect van de affectieve kwaliteit van relaties met leraren op het schools leren van leerlingen. Maar hoe sterk is die invloed nu eigenlijk? En is de relatie met de leraar vooral belangrijk voor bepaalde groepen leerlingen? In deze metaanalyse worden de resultaten van 99 studies samengevat. Het onderzoek laat zien dat de persoonlijke relatie met de leraar effect heeft op zowel de schoolse betrokkenheid als de prestaties van leerlingen. De relatie met de leraar blijkt zowel belangrijk in het basis- als voortgezet onderwijs en heeft vooral invloed op het functioneren van leerlingen uit bepaalde (risico)groepen, zoals leerlingen uit gezinnen uit lagere sociale milieus, kinderen met leerproblemen en jongens.status: publishe

Understanding discordant relationships between teachers and disruptive kindergarten children: An observational study of teachers' pedagogical practices

Children with externalizing behavior problems often develop conflictual relationships with teachers, which in turn, increases the risk of school failure. Therefore, it is important to examine the protective role of sensitive teacher practices for behaviorally at-risk children. We observed teacher sensitivity and quality of behavior management in interactions with individual students in a behaviorally-diverse sample of kindergartners (N = 192). Teacher-report questionnaires were employed to assess externalizing child behavior and teacher-child relationship quality (i.e., closeness and conflict). Linear regression analyses indicated that, for girls, teacher sensitivity weakened the association between externalizing behavior and conflict. In addition, good behavior management of teachers reduced the risk of conflict for boys with externalizing behavior. The results were discussed in light of two theoretical perspectives on social gender roles and behavior development.edition: 1status: publishe