Improving Student-Teacher Relationships

James Hopper, M.S.
John Murphy, Ph.D.
School Psychology Program, University of Central Arkansas
NASP Convention
March 5, 2010
Chicago, IL

� Provide an empirical rationale for attending to
and enhancing teacher-student relationships
(TSRs)
� Introduce the “the change pie” and consider
its relevance for TSRs
� Consider some practical strategies for
improving TSRs in schools

� Think of a teacher who you looked up to,
respected, and considered very effective.
◦ What year of school were you in when you had that
teacher, what did they teach you that you still use
to this day, etc.

� Several researchers have teased out the primary
ingredients and characteristics of healthy
teacher-student relationships. In general,
positive relationships are characterized by
different degrees of caring, connection, and
conflict between students and teachers. The
importance of these ingredients is magnified for
students at risk for academic failure, socialbehavioral
problems, and dropout (Baker, 1999;
Hughes, Cavell, & Jackson, 1999; Lan & Lanthier,
2003).

� Students who experience positive TSR’s:
◦ Get better grades and show higher levels of classroom
motivation and participation (Crosnoe et al., 2004; Hamre &
Pianta, 2005; Lan & Lanthier, 2003)
◦ Demonstrate higher levels of social competence and
appropriate behavior in the classroom (Hughes & Kwok,
2006; Pianta, LaParo, Payne, Cox, & Bradley, 2002)
◦ Display higher levels of participation, comfort,
enjoyment, and acceptance by their peers (Hughes &
Kwok, 2006)
◦ Exhibit more appropriate behaviors (Murray & Greenberg,
2001; Murray & Murray, 2004; Peisner-Feinberg et al., 2001)
◦ Exhibit fewer inappropriate classroom behaviors
(Crosnoe et al., 2004; Hamre & Pianta 2001; Ladd, Burch, & Buhs,
1999; Lan & Lanthier, 2003)

� Students with whom teachers perceive a closer
relationship are rated higher on measures of
academic achievement and social competence
(Pianta & Stuhlman, 2004).
� Teachers interact differently with high-achieving
and low-achieving students.
◦ Low-achieving students experience fewer interactions,
and less supportive ones, than their high-achieving
peers (Baker, 1999). This is a major concern given that
low-achieving students stand to benefit the most from
caring and supportive relationships with their teachers
(Hamre & Pianta 2005).

� TSR have been examined at all grade levels.
(Kindergarten-graduate school) (Hamre & Pianta,
2001; Crosby, George, Hatch, Robinson, & Thomas, 2005;
Vulcano, 2007)
� TSR has been found to be an important factor
in the achievement of various “at risk” groups
(Hamre & Pianta, 2005)
� TSR have been found to have carry over
effects for the children (Hamre & Pianta, 2001)

◦ What was it about this teacher that
led to your positive impression?
◦ What specific things did s/he do that
enhanced the TSR for you and other
students?

Hope
15%
Model/
Technique
15%
Relationship
30%
Client
40%

� How well does the change pie fit TSRs?
� Which ingredients of the pie are relevant?
� In what specific ways can schools, teachers,
and school psychologists “apply the pie” to
enhance TSRs at the school wide, classroom,
and individual levels of service?
� What can we do as school psychologists to

◦ Tailor the interventions to the school and its specific
needs.
◦ At the beginning of the year do a school wide in-service
training about TSRs and strategies for starting off the
school year well.
� Try having the teachers call the children in their class a day or
two before classes begin to say hello and let them know they
are looking forward to working with them.
� Have the younger kids draw what they did over the summer
and invite them to the teachers desk the first day to talk
about it. (5 minutes)
� As new students enter their class, encourage teachers to do
the same thing throughout the semester.

� Encourage teachers to connect electronically
with children.
� Encourage teachers, principals, and
counselors to stay in contact with their
children throughout the summer
� Check & Connect programs
� Continue these strategies and other similar
ones throughout the year.

� Tailor it to the teacher and what they are
comfortable with
� Greet each student as they enter the room
each day.
� Allow the students to decorate their desks
and classrooms with things that are
meaningful to them and use these objects to
open a dialogue.
� Choose books for reading that demonstrate
the benefits of a positive TSR.

� Tailor it to the student and to the teacher.
� Talk with both of them together as a
mediator.
� These interventions need to be highly
individualized.
� Have the child help with a simple task or job
within the classroom.
� Encourage the child join a club the teacher
sponsors.

� Work with “problem children” and their new
teachers at the first of the year.
� Meet with children and their teachers that
come back from acute or long term
psychiatric care
� Invite children to discuss possible
accommodations from IEP’s or 504 plans with
their teachers before they are implemented
� Invite children to be a part of developing their
individualized behavior plans.

� Arrange in a small group and discuss a
student you are currently working with that
could benefit from having a stronger
relationship with the teacher.
◦ What is one small step you could take to help them
improve their relationship

� Baker, J. A. (1999). Teacher-student interaction in urban at-risk classrooms: Differential behavior,
relationship, quality, and student satisfaction with school. The Elementary School Journal, 100(1),
57-70.
� Crosby, W., George, A., Hatch, A., Robinson, R., Thomas, T., & Research for Action, I. (2006).
Building Respectful Communities: Kensington Students Examine Adult-Student Relationships in
their New Small Schools. Writing to be Heard Series. Research for Action
� Crosnoe, R., Johnson, M. K., & Elder, G. H. (2004). Intergenerational bonding in school:
Thebehavioral and contextual correlates of student-teacher relationships. Sociology of Education,
77(1), 60-81.
� Hamre, B. K., & Pianta, R. C. (2001). Early teacher-child relationships and the trajectory of
children’s school outcomes through eighth grade. Child Development, 72(2), 625-638.
� Hamre, B. K., & Pianta, R. C. (2005). Can instructional and emotional support in the first-grade
classroom make a difference for children at risk of school failure? Child Development, 76(5), 949-
967.
� Hughes, J. N., Cavell, T. A., & Jackson, T. (1999). Influence of the teacher-student relationship on
childhood conduct problems: A prospective study. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 28(2), 173-
184.
� Hughes, J. N., & Kwok, O. (2006). Classroom engagement mediates the effect of teacher-student
support on elementary students’ peer acceptance: A prospective analysis. Journal of School
Psychology, 43(6), 465-480.

� Ladd, G.W., Birch, S. H., & Buhs, E. S. (1999). Children’s social and scholastic lives in kindergarten:
Related spheres of influence? Child Development, 70(6), 1373-1400.
� Lan, W., & Lanthier, R. (2003). Changes in students’ academic performance and perceptions of
school and self before dropping out of schools. Journal of Education for Students Placed At Risk,
8(3), 309-332.
� Murray, C., & Greenberg, M. T. (2001). Relationships with teachers and bonds with school: Social
emotional adjustments correlates for children with and without disabilities. Psychology in the
Schools, 38(1), 25-41.
� Murray, C., & Murray, K. M. (2004). Child level correlates of teacher-student relationships: An
examination of demographic characteristics, academic orientations, and behavioral orientations.
Psychology in the Schools, 41(7), 751-762.
� Peisner-Feinberg, E. S., Burchinal, M. R., Clifford, R. M., Culkin, M. L., Howes, C., Kagan, S. L., &
Yazejian, N. (2001). The relation of preschool child-care quality to children’s cognitive and social
development trajectories through second grade. Child Development, 72(5), 1534-1553.
� Pianta, R. C., La Paro, K. M., Payne, C., Cox, M. J., & Bradley, R. (2002). The relation of kindergarten
classroom environment to teacher, family, and school characteristics and child outcomes.
Elementary School Journal, 102(3), 225-238.
� Pianta, R. C., & Stuhlman, M. W. (2004). Teacher-child relationships and children’s success in the
first years of school. School Psychology Review, 33(3), 444-458
� .Vulcano, B. (2007Faculty Forum: Extending the Generality of the Qualities and Behaviors
Constituting Effective Teaching. Teaching of Psychology, 34(2), 114-117.