The Importance of Relationships in Education
Faculty Advisor Name
Cathy McKay
Department
Department of Kinesiology
Description
The purpose of this study was to seek to understand and describe current educators’ perceptions of building relationships in education. Relationships in education are said to be just as important as the content that students are learning. In the words of Rita Pierson, the well-known “Every Kid Needs a Champion” Ted Talk Speaker, “…kids don’t learn from people they don’t like.” (Pierson, 2013). Relationships are more than just knowing the student’s names; they encompass mutual respect, building trust, and feelings of safety. Relationships can make or break a student’s experience at school; in fact, student success hinges on a teacher's ability to build effective relationships with students (Sterrett, 2010). Strong relationships in education can be the reason that students continue to show up to school, and can be the reason why teachers continue to teach (Gehris, 2014).
This study utilized a phenomenological approach, and a purposeful sample of 35 current educators acted as participants. Data in this study were in the form of reflective writing responses. The thematic analysis revealed four themes: (a) the intersection of motivation and relationships; (b) the value of trust in learning; (c) paying it forward; and (d) the importance of social emotional development. Participants in this study commonly discussed how students are more motivated to learn when strong relationships are formed. For example, participants stated that, “Students have more motivation and drive to perform at their best for an educator that has taken the time to get to know them personally” (Participant #21). Participants shared the importance of trust in the student/teacher relationship. For example, participants stated that “Relationships with students develop trust and provides them with a person they can have confidence in on a daily basis” (Participant #5). Findings also displayed the power and impact of relationships in education, with several participants reflecting on life-altering experiences from relationships formed over the years. For example, “I attended the 18th birthday of a girl I had in first grade. My students mean a lot to me and it is great to be able to spend these milestones with them long after they have left me” (Participant #13). Looking deeper into the responses, a few teachers link content to the social emotional development of learning. For example, “The social emotional learning that comes from having relationships is far more valuable than any content knowledge” (Participant #20).
It is important to examine teachers’ perceptions of relationships in education, and to analyze the impact relationships can have on future professionals. Importantly, impactful experiences from the years of experience of the educators surveyed were often listed in the reflective responses, bringing to light the powerful moments that relationships can have on both teachers and students. The findings from this study can help educators understand the impact relationships have in the teaching and learning process.
The Importance of Relationships in Education
The purpose of this study was to seek to understand and describe current educators’ perceptions of building relationships in education. Relationships in education are said to be just as important as the content that students are learning. In the words of Rita Pierson, the well-known “Every Kid Needs a Champion” Ted Talk Speaker, “…kids don’t learn from people they don’t like.” (Pierson, 2013). Relationships are more than just knowing the student’s names; they encompass mutual respect, building trust, and feelings of safety. Relationships can make or break a student’s experience at school; in fact, student success hinges on a teacher's ability to build effective relationships with students (Sterrett, 2010). Strong relationships in education can be the reason that students continue to show up to school, and can be the reason why teachers continue to teach (Gehris, 2014).
This study utilized a phenomenological approach, and a purposeful sample of 35 current educators acted as participants. Data in this study were in the form of reflective writing responses. The thematic analysis revealed four themes: (a) the intersection of motivation and relationships; (b) the value of trust in learning; (c) paying it forward; and (d) the importance of social emotional development. Participants in this study commonly discussed how students are more motivated to learn when strong relationships are formed. For example, participants stated that, “Students have more motivation and drive to perform at their best for an educator that has taken the time to get to know them personally” (Participant #21). Participants shared the importance of trust in the student/teacher relationship. For example, participants stated that “Relationships with students develop trust and provides them with a person they can have confidence in on a daily basis” (Participant #5). Findings also displayed the power and impact of relationships in education, with several participants reflecting on life-altering experiences from relationships formed over the years. For example, “I attended the 18th birthday of a girl I had in first grade. My students mean a lot to me and it is great to be able to spend these milestones with them long after they have left me” (Participant #13). Looking deeper into the responses, a few teachers link content to the social emotional development of learning. For example, “The social emotional learning that comes from having relationships is far more valuable than any content knowledge” (Participant #20).
It is important to examine teachers’ perceptions of relationships in education, and to analyze the impact relationships can have on future professionals. Importantly, impactful experiences from the years of experience of the educators surveyed were often listed in the reflective responses, bringing to light the powerful moments that relationships can have on both teachers and students. The findings from this study can help educators understand the impact relationships have in the teaching and learning process.
