Teacher-student relationships and interactions as a factor in learning environments

Abstract

Teacher-student relationships are an important factor in effective and supportive learning environments. This monograph introduces the origin of classroom learning environments research and then reports on findings of a research programme that studied for more than thirty years teacher-student relationships and teacher-student interactions. We summarise a dynamic systems approach to the study of teacher-student relationships and interactions and the attachment and interpersonal perspectives on the study of teaching. We introduce instruments to measure perceptions of the teacher-student relationship and interactions, and present results on the associations of teacher-student relationships and student outcomes, both cognitive and affective. After a discussion on changes in the teacher-student relationships in time, developments over the teaching career and development of relationships in the first 15 weeks in a new class, we discuss common teacher problems in the relationships with their classes. Finally we delve into the study of teacherstudent interactions that not only can be considered building blocks for the development of teacher-student relationships but are also constrained by these relationships. We report on data analyses methods for interactions, studies investigating complementarity in interactions, and influences of supportive and coercive teacher actions on teacher-student relationships in the same and consecutive lessons.This monograph is based on several earlier publications of our research group; specifically Brekelmans (2010); Den Brok, Brekelmans, & Wubbels (2006a); Wubbels, Brekelmans, Den Brok, & Van Tartwijk, (2006a); Wubbels et al. (2014); Wubbels et al. (2016) and Wubbels (2017).