The Importance of Good Teacher-Student Relationships

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The Importance of Good Teacher-Student Relationships

What kind of relationship should a teacher and a student have in the classroom? The answer to this question may seem like an obvious one to many because a teacher and a student should always strive to have a good relationship in order to fare well in the classroom. In fact a good relationship creates many advantages between both teacher and student. For instance, a good relationship produces a good environment within the classroom, which can be a vital point to the success of both teacher and student. On the other hand, there is a flip side to the coin and that is a bad relationship. A bad relationship is where most of the problems come about in the classroom for both teacher and student.

In the studies made by Cheney, she discovers that many students are no longer able to express and expand their minds because of the barriers placed upon them by their teachers and peers. Cheney wrote that one must conform to the teachers way of thinking because if you do not, you are taking a chance in receiving a bad grade. Even though one must compromise one's own opinion to satisfy a teacher, it is worth it because you only need to take that course once if you follow the style and beliefs of your teacher. Then again, if you donUt follow the pattern of your teacher, you may end up taking that same course many times until you finally surrender to the beliefs of your instructors. The teacherUs opinion in the classroom can be overpowering in many cases and it can make you forfeit your own opinion even if you feel that you are right. Such intimidating methods of the teacher can repress the creativity of the student. Therefore, making the student into a uniform thinker, which is not the best way in acquiring knowledge. As Socrates would say, one must ask questions and challenge them to find the truth (the truth being knowledge) and that is the best way to acquire knowledge. I have gone through a similar experience in courses that I have taken in college. For example, When I did assignments for a feminist class I only wrote what the teacher wanted to see and kept my own opinions to my self. Even though I felt that my explanation would be a better one, all I was thinking about was getting a decent grade and moving on, which was something I really regret because I felt that I did not learn anything.

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