Student-teacher
relationships that improve over time may help slow or prevent declines
in student motivation. In a diverse sample of 1,274 middle and high
school students from three schools, this mixed-methods study found that
those who improved in developmental relationships with teachers reported
greater academic motivation, and more positive perceptions of school
climate and instructional quality. Improvements in teacher-student
relationships had some positive effects on students’ grade point
averages (GPAs) but they varied by school as well as by aspect of the
relationship measured. No differences by poverty status were seen in any
of these results. Student focus groups yielded additional understanding
of the actions and mechanisms through which student-teacher
relationships improve. Results of this study suggest that if individual
educators and entire school communities focus on strengthening
student-teacher relationships, significant improvements can be made in
students’ motivation, engagement, and performance.
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