Three sources discussed the impact of teacher-student relationships on academic achievement. Research showed that students with highly effective teachers for multiple years significantly outperformed peers on math tests. Students who had even one excellent teacher remained ahead for years. However, ineffective teachers had lasting negative effects. Strong, positive teacher-student relationships led to higher achievement, as students developed trust, engagement, and behavior. It's not just the relationship, but teachers expressing confidence, equal treatment, and caring attitudes that encourage learning and better performance. Effective teachers who bond with students can help them achieve at high levels.

1. Teacher’s Impact on Student
Achievement
Lexi Dively
SOE 115 Psychology of Teaching and Learning
Kendall College

2. Theory:
“I believe teacher’s involvement all around can improve
student achievement.”
Having a teacher involved with her student’s and her effectiveness in
teaching, can improve student achievement. I think it helps with trust,
openness and better behaviors in the classroom.

3. Source #1
“Research in Tennessee revealed that students who were placed with highly effective teachers
for three years in a row significantly outperformed comparable students on a mathematics
assessment (96th versus 44th percentile). Teacher quality has a lasting effect on student
learning. Data from Dallas reveals that a student who has an outstanding teacher for just one
year will remain ahead of her peers for at least the next few years. Unfortunately, the opposite
is true as well: if a student has an ineffective teacher, the negative effect on her achievement
may not be fully remediated for up to three years.”
“Educators at the College of William and Mary describe a way to use the characteristics of
effective teaching to evaluate teacher candidates. Effective teachers exhibit certain skills and
qualifications. These include verbal ability, coursework in pedagogy, knowledge of special-
needs students, teacher certification, and content knowledge of the specific subjects to be
taught. Personal traits such as a positive and caring attitude, fairness and respect for students,
enthusiasm, dedication and reflective teaching contribute to these teachers’ effectiveness in the
classroom. Just as important are classroom organization and classroom management skills.”

4. Source #1 Summary:
Research has show in two different studies, one in Tennessee and one in Dallas, that students
who had an effective teacher, performed higher on a math test. Students who also have an
effective teacher for at least one year, out-performed students who did not. It showed that if a
student had a teacher that was not very effective, then it would have a negative effect on the
student’s achievement. These effective teacher’s had certain characteristics that
they showed in their work and in themselves, such as caring attitude, respect for their students
and fairness.

5. Source #2
“Improving students' relationships with teachers has important, positive and
long-lasting implications for both students' academic and social development.”
“…those students who have close, positive and supportive relationships with
their teachers will attain higher levels of achievement than those students with
more conflict in their relationships.”
“Picture a student who feels a strong personal connection to her teacher, talks with her
teacher frequently, and receives more constructive guidance and praise rather than just
criticism from her teacher. The student is likely to trust her teacher more, show more
engagement in learning, behave better in class and achieve at higher levels academically.
Positive teacher-student relationships draw students into the process of learning and
promote their desire to learn.”

6. Source #2 Summary:
Student’s who developed a stronger relationship with their teacher tend to have
higher a higher achievement in academics and social development. These
student’s develop trust and a closer bond with their teacher, which helps with
them wanting to engage in learning, which then leads to high achievement. It
not only helps with promoting learning, but also better behavior.

7. Source #3
“The presence of positive student-teacher relationships alone does not translate to academic success,
but students that establish a strong bond with their teacher do perform better than students whose
relationships with teachers involve some sort of conflict.[4] Teachers can help improve academic
success in students by clearly expressing positive expectations for each student, presenting students
with equal opportunities to participate in class discussions, and expressing to students that they are
confident in their ability to succeed when it comes to their coursework.”
“Another one of the benefits of healthy student-teacher relationships is a classroom that is free of
behavioral disruptions, which leaves teachers more time to instruct their class.[6] Positive student-
teacher relationships help to establish a learning environment in which educators and students
display mutual respect for one another, rather than exchanges that involve conflict.”

8. Source #3 Summary:
It’s what the stronger, more positive teacher-student relationship does and promotes, that
helps with the academic achievement. When a student and teacher have a stronger
relationship, it shows in their academic achievements. Teacher’s can show confidence in
the student and give them an equal opportunity, which helps them academically. Besides
their good relationship helping with academics, it helps with behavior in the classroom. If
they have respect for each other, they will have less problems, which helps with the
learning environment.

9. Analysis of Information
With the three sources, it seemed like there was a similarity in they all agreed
that it isn’t just a strong student-teacher relationship that helps academically
and with behavior, it is what is behind the relationship. Trust, confidence in
the student, a caring attitude and much more is what is behind that strong
relationship, which is what helps them academically. The things an effective
teacher does encourages the student to learn and want to learn and has better
behavior in the classroom. A student who has an effective teacher will have a
high academic achievement than a student who does not have an effective
teacher.

10. Conclusion
I still agree with my point of view that an involved teacher helps with student
achievement. I think this means that the teacher should be involved with their
personal education and be an effective teacher and also have a strong bond with
her students, not just be there teaching. The stronger bond with help them
learn, make them want to learn and have better behaviors in the classroom.
Effective teachers can help students go a long way in the academic achievement,
if they have the passion for teaching and actually do the work themselves also.

11. Communication with Families
I believe families have a lot to do with academic achievement also. I think with this theory,
it would be good to express to the families of your strategy of teaching and developing a
strong bond with the student and why you think this is a good thing. Express to the
families how you believe it helps with academic achievement, better performance and
behavior in the classroom. A good time for a teacher to do this is a meet the teacher night
or a curriculum night when you have all families together. I think most parents would be
on board with the idea and they would be a lot of help.

12. References:
Source #1
Effective Teachers are the Most Important Factor Contributing to Student Achievement. (2003,
September). Retrieved May, 2018, from https://www.ernweb.com/educational-research-
articles/effective-teachers-are-the-most-important-factor-contributing-to-student-
achievement/
Source #2
Rimm-Kaufman, S., & Sandilos, L. (n.d.). Improving Students' Relationships with Teachers to Provide
Essential Supports for Learning. Retrieved May, 2018, from
http://www.apa.org/education/k12/relationships.aspx
Source #3
4 Benefits of Positive Student-Teacher Relationships. (2016, July 15). Retrieved May, 2018, from
https://www.pridesurveys.com/index.php/blog/4-beneficial-effects-of-student-teacher-
relationships/