Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Student Relationship
by Jill Eulberg, Veteran Educator, M.S. Special Education
It's not easy to establish a balanced teacher-student relationship. Teachers who are too
concerned with being liked can compromise their authority, while those who come off as
brusque or uncaring will never get the most out of their students.
Ms. C., a high school math teacher I work with, has achieved such a balance, in spite of
the fact that she's only a few years older than many of her students. How can you
replicate her success? Here are some ways to establish a healthy, respectful teacher-
student relationship.
Teachers who start off trying to appear too nice convey the message that they're not
authority figures. Ms. C. smiles constantly (even pre-holidays) and exudes a genuine
kindness, but she isn't afraid to drop the pleasantness and be stern when necessary. Her
students know she means business and respect her for it. They listen and learn from her
because she establishes her purpose and authority from the start.
Ms. C. is not overly strict, but she has established a culture where students understand
that it's rude to use their phones while their teacher is teaching. Her lessons are fast-
paced, keeping students on their toes so they aren't thinking about their phones. Since
they like and respect Ms. C., they put their phones away.