Do relationships really matter in learning?
In the Journal of Student Engagement (2012) Lauren Liberante writes:
“The teacher–student relationship is one of the most powerful elements within the learning environment. A major factor affecting students’ development, school engagement and academic motivation, teacher–student relationships form the basis of the social context in which learning takes place (Hughes & Chen,2011; Roorda et al.,).
Liberante’s research (and many others) make the case that the relationships in our education system may prove to be the most effective way to improve student engagement. All of us that teach and work with children understand the importance of relationships. We know that spending time helping a student 1-on-1 does more than a small group setting. Yet, we often forget how much influence we can have on a student’s learning.