Students with positive attachments to their teachers can get Higher Standardized test scores
When students are
underachieving, school policymakers often examine class size, curriculum and
funding, but University of Missouri researchers suggest establishing
relationships may be a powerful and less expensive way to improve students'
success. In a review of the research they show that students with positive
attachments to their teachers and schools have higher grades and higher
standardized test scores.
"In this era of
accountability, enhancing student-teacher relationships is not merely an add-on,
but rather is fundamental to raising achievement," said Christi Bergin,
associate professor in the MU College of Education. "Secure
student-teacher relationships predict greater knowledge, higher test scores,
greater academic motivation and fewer retentions or special education
referrals. Children who have conflicted relationships with teachers tend to
like school less, are less self-directed and cooperate less in the
classroom."
The authors summarized a
range of research on attachment-like relations with parents, teachers and
schools. They found that student attachment influences school success through
two routes: indirectly through attachment to parents which affects children's
behavior at school and directly through attachment to teachers and schools.
Children with healthy attachment are able to control their emotions and are
more socially competent and willing to take on challenging learning tasks in
the classroom.
"To be effective,
teachers must connect with and care for children with warmth, respect and
trust," said David Bergin, associate professor of educational psychology,
and the other author of the article. "In addition, it is important for
schools to make children feel secure and valued, which can liberate them to
take on intellectual and social challenges and explore new ideas."
To help enhance student
relations, the authors offer research-based tips for teachers and schools:
Teachers
·
Increase warm, positive
interactions with students
·
Be well prepared for
class and hold high expectations
·
Be responsive to
students' agendas by providing choices
·
Use reasoning rather
than coercive discipline that damages relationships
·
Help students be kind,
helpful and accepting of one another
·
Implement interventions
for difficult relations with specific students
Schools
·
Provide a variety of
extracurricular activities for students to join
·
Keep schools small
·
Keep students with the
same teachers and/or peers across years
·
Decrease transitions in
and out of the classroom
Post a Comment