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What needs to be considered when forming a positive student-teacher relationship?
Understanding the methods of teaching and being knowledgeable are obviously
important parts of the puzzle, but the nature of communication is an equally important part of
the puzzle (Frymier & Houser, 2000, p. 12). Various students at the Midwestern University,
were asked to take part in a study to determine whether this is in fact is true, in terms of
whether communication is an equally important part of the puzzle (Frymier & Houser, 2000,
p.12), and thus to determine what in fact, they consider important for a teacher to do in order
to build and maintain a positive and effective child-teacher relationship. The results to this
study support this, in suggesting that an effective child-teacher relationship has a direct
correlation to successful learning.
To therefore promote successful learning, it is important for teachers to establish
effective relationships, and to do so, the results suggest that teachers need to acquire
knowledge of how to balance a relationship which is both close but also professional and
content based (Frymier & Houser, 2000). Close and immediate relationships, as stated by
Frymier & Houser, (2000), encourage, motivate and help children to place trust in their
teacher, and thus when trust develops it is much easier to ask [questions which may at times
seem foolish] or ask for feedback and clarification (p. 12). With trust comes respect and
comfort, and with comfort children will feel more secure in the classroom. As Rimm-
Kaufman (2014) states, teachers who have established these relationships with children
outline that less children avoid coming to school, and become engaged learners, whom have
the confidence to become self-regulated learners due to the fact that they feel accepted as a
worthy and inclusive classroom member. However with all of this in mind, the question now,
is how teachers can establish such relationships with children.
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After careful analysis of the results, Frymier & Houser (2000) have concluded that
when teachers and students move beyond the formal teacher-student roles and begin to see
each other as individuals, interpersonal relationships form (p.12). To create such effective
interpersonal relationships with children, teachers must implement immediacy, which will
promote closeness and trust. To do this, teachers can use both verbal and non-verbal
communication.
To establish such relationships, Frymier & Houser (2000), state that on the verbal
level, teachers should use words of praise and admiration, as well as directly address children
by name. Teachers should ask questions which demonstrate and interest in their students,
share experiences and stories of their own, and ask and encourage students to share their
stories. They should also ask students to speak of their thoughts, ideas and opinions; as this
will demonstrate to children that they too, have a voice in the classroom and therefore their
opinion matters and is valued.
Frymier and Houser (2000) also suggest, that in order to build relationships which are
constructive and positive with the children they teach, it is important to as a teacher; have
referential skills as well as the ability to support children egocentrically (p.11). To have
referential skills, means to have the ability to clearly explain instructions, so that children will
intern have a concise understanding of what is expected of them and clear goals which appear
achievable. This in which results have shown, reduces the feeling of uncertainty (Frymier
and Houser, 2000, p.11), and encourages children to have a visual representation of what in
fact success looks like (Berger & Calabrese, 1975).
To have the skills to support the egos of children, will enable children to feel valued
and feel as if their presence and contribution is worthy, which intern, Frymier & Houser
(2000) suggest, will motivate and inspire learning. Despite verbal communication, Frymier
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and Houser (2000), also discuss how non-verbal communication plays a crucial and key role
in establishing and maintaining close and positive relationships with children.
With this in mind, teachers must be aware of the non-verbal actions which
they ascertain. After analysing the study results, Frymier & Houser (2000), found that the
majority of the students who were studied, found that they were able to have a positive
relationship with the teachers whom smile and make eye contact, use varied animated facial
expressions and roam the room to assist and be inclusive to all students.


What is constructivism and child led learning, and how does this approach positively
influence children?
New trends in education put new demands on teachers and the learning culture
(Hrbkov & Vvrov, 2012, p. 228). Therefore, before we begin to answer how child led
learning will positively influence children; we must firstly answer why such an approach is
needed. In this technologically reliant society, Hrbkov & Vvrov (2012) state that it is
time for teachers to teach children to become self-regulated learners. This means that the
role of the teacher [needs to shift] from being an information provider to [becoming] the role
of a guide who provides students with the knowledge of today's world (Hrbkov &
Vvrov, 2012, p.228). To therefore provide children with this knowledge, teachers should
allow them to construct their own knowledge through the experiences they have, thus
creating a learning environment of child led learners.
To encourage children to be the leaders and initiators of their learning, teachers have
the role of planning experiences and lessons which provide children with the freedom to learn
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through the exploration of various medians, and to not merely be passive recipients of
information (Giesen, 2013). Allowing one to explore using a variety of medians not only
caters to the learning of multiple thinkers, but readies learners to be open and critically
minded thinkers, ready to live in this changing paradigm we live in (Robinson, ND).
By enabling children to construct their own knowledge and meaning, teachers will be
implementing an approach known as the constructivist approach, which was developed after
Levi Vygotsky and others criticised the other learning approaches used in their time (Hua Liu
& Matthews, 2005). These theorists thought beyond what was thought of and practiced as
active learning, as they understood learning to be more of a holistic process, and active
learning to be more complex than what was practiced (Hua Liu & Matthes, 2005). Therefore,
for teachers to implement the constructivist approach, they must recognize the true meaning
behind the term active learning (Cooperstein & Kocevar-Weidinger, 2003).
As Coopestein & Kocevar-Weidinger, (2003) state, the constructivist approach
involves the whole child, and aims at targeting ones curiosity and interests, for without such
deep involvement learning will not be memorable. What teachers must therefore keep in
mind, is that for true active learning to occur, the activity [they plan, must] lead to the
concepts; [instead of] the concepts lead[ing] to the activity (Coopestein & Kocevar-
Weidinger, 2003, p. 141). In addition as Sugata Mitras Whole in the wall experiments
prove, when children have interest, they are able to learn extraordinary things and take on
great challenges (Mitra, 2010).
Therefore to understand the true meaning of such an approach and how to implement
it in the classroom, is essential for teachers to understand, before they simply highlight it as a
key inclusion in their teaching philosophy. This essay has therefore assisted the writer to
reflect upon what they chose to include in their teaching philosophy, and has given the writer
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the knowledge to analyse why in fact such components are so crucial in the learning process.
The writer now understands not only why positive child-teacher relationships are important,
but also now understands how to implement such relationships using various verbal and non-
verbal communication skills. The writer now also understands what in fact true active
learning is, and how the constructivist approach will support children to become self-
regulated learners who construct their knowledge through their experiences, and intern are
involved in memorable learning which is highly relational.
Word Count: 1,335


References
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Toward a Developmental theory of interpersonal communication. Human
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Cooperstein, S & Kocevar-Weidinger, E (2003). Beyond Active Learning: A Constructivist
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10.1108/00907320410537658

Coppola, B. P. (2002). Writing a statement of teaching philosophy. Journal of College
Science Teaching, 31(7), 448-453. Retrieved from
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Frymier, A and Houser, M (2000). Communication Education: The Teacher- Student
Relationship as an Interpersonal Relationship.49:3, 207-219.
doi:10.1080/03634520009379209.
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Giesen, J (2013). Constructivism: A Holistic Approach to Teaching and Learning. Northern
Illinois. Faculty Development and Instructional Design Centre. Retrieved from
http://www.niu.edu/facdev/programs/handouts/constructivism.pdf

Hrbckov, K., & Vvrov, S. (2012). Subjective conception of students' self-regulated
learning from the perspective of a beginner teacher. Asian Social Science, 8(10), 228-
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http://0search.proquest.com.alpha2.latrobe.edu.au/docview/1033044497?accountid=

Hua Liu & Matthews, (2005). Vygotskys philosophy: Constructivism and its criticisms
Examined. International Education Journal, 6(3), 386-399.

Kaufman, S (2014). Improving Students' Relationships with Teachers to Provide Essential
Supports for Learning. Washington ,DC. American Psychology Association.

Mitra. (2010). The Child Driven Education. TED: Ideas worth spreading [Video]. Retrieved
from:http://www.ted.com/talks/sugata_mitra_the_child_driven_education.html?quote
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Robinson, K (N.D). Changing Educational Paradigms: RSA Animate [Video]. Retrieved
from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U