1.) Bergin, C., & Bergin, D. (2009). Attachment in the classroom. Educational Psychology Review, 21(2), 141-170.
I will be focusing on the Recommendations section of this reading (on pages 158 and 159) where there are six explicit suggestions for teachers to improve teacher-student relationships. First and foremost, it is important for teachers to build a relationship with each child in their classroom. This is directly linked to raising the child’s achievement level and socio-emotional wellbeing. This goes more so for students who are insecure and do not know how to create trusting relationships themselves.
Ways to directly bring positive changes in teacher-student relationships, as I understood them, are as follows: teachers increasing sensitivity and positive interactions with students; being prepared for class and holding high expectations for students; being responsive and showing interest in helping each student; making class interesting; being responsive to students agendas and providing choice whenever possible; using induction rather than coercive discipline; helping students build a strong sense of community with their class mates; modeling pro-social behavior; implementing interventions for specific difficult relationships.
An example of an intervention called “banking time” is provided, where:
“For 5 to 15 min each day, the teacher gives the child undivided attention and follows the child’s lead in whatever activity the child chooses. During these few minutes, the teacher does not do any teaching, directing, or reinforcing, but rather acts as a sportscaster, simply giving a play-by-play narrative of the child’s actions. The teacher conveys acceptance, interest, and safety to the child. This approach helps repair relationships where there are high levels of conflict and adult has been controlling and dominating with the child.”
(Bergin & Bergin, pp.159)
The strengths of this reading are in the teacher recommendations sections, explicit suggestions based off of specific studies to strengthen student-teacher relationships. The weakness is in the length of the article, (particularly for my research – as a lot of it is repetitive to me now.) This reading connects to my inquiry by providing studied methods on improving student-teacher relationships. If possible, I would like to implement some of the given suggestions and record my understandings during my long practicum.
2.) Dewar, G. (2016). Student-teacher relationships: The overlooked ingredient for success. Retrieved from http://www.parentingscience.com/student-teacher-relationships.html
This article complies ideas from various studies showing the positive impacts of student-teacher relationships on students’ abilities to adapt, learn, and achieve. Hamre and Pianta’s article (also annotated) has been referenced in this article and there are some crossovers. Both articles emphasize the importance of secure and supportive teacher-child relationships for students “at risk,” as well as agree that such kinds of bonds are “important for young children, and [have] far-reaching consequences” (Dewar, 2016). Dewar’s article expands further by presenting some very interesting studies and benefits of positive teacher-student relationships on older students as well.
The article also introduces ways to encourage better student-teacher relationships via successful teacher practices, including different approaches to criticism and other disciplinary techniques that could have positive or negative effects on students learning. There is a suggestion that “teachers need and deserve professional guidance for handling classroom conflicts in positive ways” (Dewar, 2016). Other factors listed for consideration: female and European-American students are more inclined to building stronger student-teacher relationships, parent-involvement, teacher’s salaries, culture of the classroom and schools, and teacher’s ethnic and cultural backgrounds.
I think the strength of this reading is in the amount of studies sourced. The weakness is in the way they are presented, slightly choppy. The main points as I understand them, link positive teacher relationships to: a decrease in students stress hormone levels, decreased bullying/victimization by peers, benefits for students “at risk” or with special needs, higher performance in Mathematics. Also, there are benefits and fallbacks depending on teacher’s ethnicity and cultural background. It concludes with a tip that teachers need to make their expectations clear to their students.
This reading is not only relevant to my topic, it strengthens my inquiry by explaining the benefits of strong teacher-student relationships on not just the kindergarten level, but on the higher-grade levels as well;
“[K]ids in primary school suffered more setbacks when student-teacher relationships were negative. But positive relationships were particularly beneficial to older students, and overall… stronger effects were found in higher grades.” (Dewar, 2016)
3.) Grauer, K., Irwin, L., & Emme, M. (2011). StARTing with… (Ed.3), Visual journals in the elementary classroom (pp. 142-148). Victoria, BC: Canadian Society for Education through Art.
This chapter from StARTing With… introduces the concept of Visual Journaling in elementary classrooms. According to the information presented in this chapter, Visual Journals not only “allow students to capture their thinking and reflect upon it,” it gives educators a “glimpse of the ongoing life of a child.” (Grauer, pg.143-145) These type of journals move beyond the artist sketchbook, and often include some written component to complete or juxtapose the creators thinking. Visual Journals can be prompted, “but with topics freely chosen by the students.” (Grauer, 145). The conclusion as I understood it, is that there should be an emphasis on the inherent value within creation and process, as oppose to the final product, which in turn “allows students to gain confidence in their own ideas.” (Grauer, pg.144) This type of a journal is also a means to generate more eloquence in the creators’ oral and written language.
This writing fits well with my inquiry, as it provides an essential piece of information on students’ art being able to “provide us with the more personal evidence [of their thinking.]” (Grauer, 145) It connects the viewer to the artist in a very personal way, to see things through their eyes, memory, or imagination. It is also a key component for a child to develop their own symbol system, and enables teachers to see how students change and grow through the course of a school year. The strengths of this article are explained in their emphasis on the power of visual language, a mode of communication that is often overlooked. The weakness in terms of my inquiry project is that the focus is only on kindergarten classrooms, and does not extend into upper level grades.
4.) Hamre, B. K., & Pianta, R. C. (2001). Early teacher–child relationships and the trajectory of children’s school outcomes through eighth grade. Child development, 72(2), 625-638.
This article presents the work of various attachment theorists that convey the importance of teacher-student relationships having positive effects on students’ scholastic wellbeing. Their studies show a correlation between positive teacher-student relationships and students’ abilities to build social competence and self-esteem. The article also states that children who receive maltreatment from their parents seek more closeness from non-parental adults, such as their teachers. Teacher-student relationships formed as early as kindergarten to second grade can have major impacts on the way students adapt to their school environments, and how they move forward academically. The studies also state that, “specifically, negativity in teacher-child relationships, marked by conflict and over-dependency, emerged as a significant predictor of a wide range of academic and behavioral outcomes.” (Hamre & Pianta, pg.634) As well as that students’ ethnicity, gender, and verbal abilities played a role in increasing their risk for problems in school. Even more specifically, “African American students, and children with low verbal intelligence scores in kindergarten were more likely to have academic and behavioral problems through eight grade.” (Hamre & Pianta, pg.535)
This written piece relates to my topic strongly, as it shows the importance of teacher-student relationship to students’ academic and social development. The concluding statement of this article as I understood it, is that if teachers can create better relationship with children at risk, it can have a significant impact on their learning. The conclusion also advises that if further studies were to be conducted on this topic, that older students perceptions should be accounted for. This particular information helps me tailor my inquiry into the long practicum. The strengths of this article are the research approach and amount of data collected to convey the thesis. The weakness would have to be the date when these researches were conducted.
5.) Nieto, S. (2003). What keeps teachers going?. Teaching as autobiography (pp. 22-36). New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
This article takes an anecdotal approach on various teachers’ journeys into the education world, and the impact of their personal teaching philosophies for their classrooms. Where one teacher draws her students’ attention to the racism present in their local media and how to fight against it, another speaks of insecurities in an open way. All the teachers inquiries included within this article have something profound to share, and all stories, as I understood them, tell the reader to “Teach who you are.” In fact, teaches cannot erase their autobiographies from their teacher-identities; they bring with them their experiences, identities, values, beliefs, attitudes, hang-ups, biases, wishes, dreams, and hopes. The article states “being aware of and valuing one’s autobiography must be at the heart of teaching.” (Nieto, pg.25). The author further emphasizes the importance for teachers to teach from their personal truths, may it be rooted in uncomfortable experiences of racism, feeling language barriers, or from a place of being denied their basic human rights (such as education). There is a highlight on the idea that different experiences are good, and that students can relate to teachers more if they can see themselves in them. Nieto goes on to say that memorable teachers are those who treat their students with equal respect, nurture their individuality, are honest with their students about not only their strengths, but also their weaknesses, and perhaps most importantly – encourage students “to think, question, and enter ‘conversations’ on an equal intellectual footing,” and finally – those that actually look at their students! (Nieto, pg.28).
This article relates to my topic as it emphasizes the importance of teachers to own their truths – in order to connect with their students in an intellectually authentic way. It’s strengths lie in the examples providing ample uncomforting scenarios, that lead to positive outcomes. The weakness, in relation to my inquiry subjects, lies in the difference of age group from this reading to my current middle school classroom.
6.) Palmer, P. (1998). The Heart of a Teacher: Identity and Integrity in Teaching. The Courage To Teach 1-17.
In his writing The Heart of a Teacher, Parker Palmer explains that it is importance for teachers to remain honest to themselves, their students, and the subject they teach. Good teachers are open to showing their vulnerable selves; and that like their students, they are also growing and evolving beings. Palmer goes on to write that western academic culture may push teachers to dismiss their inner truths and focus only on manipulating the externals. However, teachers must not “lose heart,” and may reclaim their integrity by revisiting their mentors, and what brought them to teaching in the first place. (Palmer, pg.9) If teachers can stay connected to the “pluralism” of their own identity, they will be able to better serve the multi-faceted personalities of their students. (Palmer, pg.12) The concluding thoughts of this writing as I understood them, express that real teaching cannot happen unless the student’s inner teacher is invoked. For this to take place, it is important for teachers to know their students, and build a relationship of trust with them.
This writing relates to my topic as the bottom line resides on the importance of strong teacher-student relationships based on trust and our inner truths. The strengths of this written piece lives in the personal stories included within it; real life stories give authentic examples to learn from. The weakness would be in the little amount of information presented from theories and actual research done on thie topic.
7.) Smith-Shank, D. (1993). Beyond this point there be dragons: Pre-service elementary teachers’ stories of art and education. Art Education, 46(5), 45-51. doi:10.1080/00043125.1993.11652235
This article uses the metaphor of dragons to describe teachers who display unfair teaching practices. Dragon teachers show favoritism, put emphasis on grades, are too critical without giving any instruction or demonstrations, and have traditional ideas about students skills (such as realistic drawing being a sign of a talented art student.) Dragon Art Teachers cut out art from their formal schedule and portray art as “recess” or fun time. This leads students to believe that Art is not important. The author goes on to say that “typical dragon teachers are not reflective. They haven’t taken the energy to understand themselves or their students.” (Smith-Shank, pg.50) Following this, the article states that art plays an important role on our lives; so much so that it should not be looked at “as a corpse of beautiful artifacts, but as objects which can and should disturb the status quo and force people to rethink their ideas of beauty, truth, justice, and humanity.” (Smith-Shank, pg.50) For the context of an art classroom, this piece of writing relates to my topic directly; it positions art as an important factor in teacher-student relationships when it state that “as art is re-thought, so are student/teacher relationships.” (Smith-Shank, pg.50) The conclusion as I understood it, conveys the power and importance of good art teachers and good art education in our schools. Moreover, even the encounter of Dragon Art Teachers can be seen as a “necessary monster,” in order to better understand ourselves and then let authentic art experiences heal us. (Smith-Shank, pg.51)
The strengths of this piece are in its authentic and specific ways of explaining the common mistakes of “Dragon Art Teachers.” The weaknesses, for me, would have to be in the way it’s written; it is hard to understand the meaning at times when the author is caught up in dragon talk and dragon metaphors.
8.) Ted Talks Education. (2013). Rita Pierson: Every kid needs a champion. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/rita_pierson_every_kid_needs_a_champion
In this Ted Talk, Rita Pierson (a teacher for 40 years) explains the value and importance of building “real, human, personal level” connections with students in order to create real learning. Rita’s argument as I understood it, is based off of a conversation with a colleague years ago, who did not see eye-to-eye with her vision on the importance of a strong and positive teacher-student relationships. Rita’s talk is full of passion, reason, and motivation for future educators to focus on building a bond with their students. Rita believes it is a teacher’s duty to raise the self-esteem of a child, and their academic achievement. She says that teachers can do this by implementing small ways of thinking, such as “seeking first to understand, instead of being understood,” and expressing the simple yet difficult gesture of apologizing when appropriate. I feel that the strengths of this Ted Talk are definitely in the colourful character of the speaker; her passion for teaching shines through. The weakness may be in the fact that the talk is quiet brief and based off of the experiences of one single person.
This Ted Talk relates to my topic of inquiry as it emphasizes the vital, and “rarely discussed” reason for students’ failure to learn or stay in school: the importance of a human connection with their teachers.