Teachers' thinking about their relations with their pupils

Abstract

A variety of research suggests that 'good' teacher-pupil relationships facilitate pupil learning, pupil progress, teacher control, teacher effectiveness and. professional satisfaction. Studies of teaching styles have highlighted improved pedagogic competence from relational interaction. Indeed, competency in. relationships is sometimes cited as being an element in 'good' teaching. However, despite the degree of interest, enthusiasm and research concerning relationships in teaching, there remain gaps in our knowledge: Do teachers think in terms of relationships when interacting with pupils? If they do, how do teachers conceptualise a relationship? How are relationships conveyed and established? What benefits derive from using relationships? This study uses an interview technique to discover whether teachers actually think in terms of relationships when discussing their work. In particular, to ascertain whether practising teachers, when given the opportunity, spontaneously us the term 'relationships' when describing interaction with pupils i.e. whether relationships are a prominent or salient feature of their work. From a teaching perspective, it is useful to discover the examples of teacher-pupil relationships described, including practical features involved in their formation and practical benefits from their use. If teachers do think relationships with pupils are a salient feature of their work, their descriptions, involving practical examples, may reveal items of skill which student or probationary teachers desire to know. The descriptive categories may be useful for teacher trainers who wish to emphasise teaching as a 'craft', or those who wish to reduce the apparent gap-discontinuity which is believed to exist between training courses and the practice of teaching.