Having a positive teacher-student relationship is vital for an enriched learning experience. Teachers help develop professional, communication, and other skills in students. Likewise, students also assist teachers to modify curriculums by providing feedback on various courses. However, this relationship has evolved in recent years. Now, teachers are not the only source of knowledge for students. Learners can take inspiration from anywhere. Moreover, awareness of child psychology has also influenced positive teacher-student relationships.
In addition, parents are also concerned about the holistic development of their children. As a result, they are seeking schools with a better teacher-student ratio to ensure personalized and interactive learning. Therefore, it becomes crucial for schools to have a positive teacher-student relationship. This goal can be achieved by leveraging technology and providing schools with state-of-the-art LMS and ERP systems.
How does technology help in developing a positive teacher-student relationship?
Enabling technology across schools and other educational institutions can help in:
- Technology makes teachers more aware of students’ needs
Improving the teacher-student ratio is a prime requirement to develop a positive teacher-student relationship. Unfortunately, there has not been an increase in this ratio over the past few years. As a result, students do not get enough attention from their teachers. Moreover, teachers also face challenges in understanding the progress of their students. But all these problems can be solved by integrating technology into the education system.
Technology helps teachers spend more time with individual students. Moreover, they are more likely to understand the areas that need improvement. Tracking the progress and suggesting remedial measures become easy for teachers.
School management apps help teachers see their students’ performance on mobile devices. Therefore, they can see the progress report anytime in a few taps. In this way, they can understand the top and low-performing students. In addition, teachers can set benchmarks for student evaluation. Digital interaction improves the teacher-student relationship and brings a positive change in the classroom.
- It stresses the importance of feedback
Conventional classrooms encourage passive learning. In a typical classroom, a teacher delivers lectures, and students take notes. This may look like an ideal learning environment, but it is not. In this setup, understanding the learning curve of every student becomes difficult. Moreover, only a few students interact with the teacher and ask questions. Most students fear asking questions due to a feeling of getting judged by their teachers and peers. But technology takes care of such feelings by allowing students to ask questions outside the classroom. Chats and discussion forums can eliminate the feeling of insecurity; thus, strengthening positive teacher-student relationships.
- It implies continued engagement
Technology has stretched knowledge outside the classroom walls. Now students can learn at their pace without worrying about completing the course within the thirty-minute timeline. Moreover, ed-tech tools ensure continued engagement among students. Features like digital content sharing ensure that students remain engaged while learning. Student engagement improves learning abilities and helps them gear up for excellent academic performance. Also, it connects students with their teachers at a personal level; thus, fostering a positive teacher-student relationship.
The points mentioned above state the importance of school management systems in bringing a positive change in the student-teacher relationship. Moreover, technology-integrated learning also widens the knowledge base of students. Therefore, school management systems are crucial when it comes to strengthening teacher-student relationships.
Other ways to improve the teacher-student relationship
Some practical and easy-to-follow methods to support a robust teacher-student relationship are:
- Understand students’ need
Try to know about your students and what they need. Having a deeper understanding of their requirements will help you establish a positive teacher-student relationship. Moreover, you will get to know about their learning objectives and pace. School management systems help you understand and track your students’ learning progress.
- Find a personal connection
Try to connect with your students personally. You may ask them about their favorite hobbies, colors, and other choices. Establishing a personal connection with your students will help you develop strong and positive teacher-student relationships.
- Conduct a values analysis discussion
Teachers can select a current topic or event to discuss with their students. This encourages participation and helps students express their views. However, there must be specific rules in value analysis discussions. For example, if a speaker is expressing their point, all other students must listen to them carefully. Other students can respond with their opinion, but they must not criticize each other.
- Provide positive feedback
Teachers must provide constructive feedback to students. They can provide positive comments when they notice their students’ efforts, helping behavior, and other worthwhile attempts. It motivates students to perform better and helps them build personal relationships with teachers.
- Be positive and enthusiastic when teaching
Students like it when their teachers are in a happy mood. It fuels the class with positivity and makes learning fun and interactive. Moreover, it stimulates a healthy and positive teacher-student relationship. To keep the classroom brimming with joy, having a high-spirited teacher is vital.
- Avoid threats and punishments
Avoid punishments in the classroom. Teachers may innovate new ways to control the disruptive behavior of students. For example, instead of penalization, teachers can use a time-out procedure. Once the time-out procedure is over, they can sit with respective students to discuss their behavior. They may ask them about their feelings and the reasons for their overwhelming behavior.
- Show students that you care for them
Understanding your students’ behavior and needs are vital to building a robust teacher-student relationship. In addition, it is crucial to show that you care for them. But the important question here is how to show students that you are there for them. Talk to your students individually to give them the required attention. You can ask students about their comfort levels and feelings about the course.
These are a few of many activities that teachers can perform to foster a healthy, positive, and robust teacher-student relationship. The tips mentioned above are not an exhaustive list; instead, it shows ways to establish good teacher-student relationships. Mutual understanding and empathy, along with technology-integrated learning, ensure a positive teacher-student relationship.
Teachmint is the leading ed-infra provider helping educational institutions improve their efficiency. With our offerings like LMS, attendance management, fee management system, and more, institutes can boost their productivity multifold.
