Strengthening the Teacher-Student Relationship

This content was produced for settings in Australia and New Zealand but is relevant for practitioners in schools globally.

It goes without saying that a strong teacher-student relationship is key to the academic progress and attainment of every child and young person, from kindergarten up to Year 12 and beyond.

But these relationships impact more than just academic performance: now more than ever we’re seeing teachers focusing on the emotional wellbeing and mental health of their students, equipping them with the tools they need to fulfil their potential socially, emotionally and personally, as well as academically.

They understand that strong bonds built on trust and mutual respect are central to improving wellbeing, reducing the likelihood of behaviour that needs support, and ensuring the happiness of every child and young person in their care.

With that in mind, schools are always looking for ways to strengthen teacher-student relationships, and create supportive, positive environments where all can thrive. However, this is sometimes easier said than done.

Barriers to building a strong teacher-student relationship

Many schools already do a fantastic job of prioritising the formation of strong teacher-student bonds, but sometimes, despite everyone’s best intentions, relationship-building can slip down the to-do list.

As everyone involved in education would no doubt agree, teaching is a rewarding yet challenging career, and just like their counterparts in other areas of the world, many teachers across Australia and New Zealand are buckling under the weight of heavy teaching workloads, extreme staff shortages, extensive personalised curriculum planning, and onerous administrative tasks. Sadly, many states are also seeing an increase in occupational and peer-on-peer violence.

These many and varied factors are taking their toll on teachers’ mental and physical health, making it feel impossible to focus on relationships while juggling so many competing responsibilities.

Every context is different, too, and every school community has its own view of how the teacher-student dynamic should look. Some settings – and, indeed, some parents and carers – favour a hierarchical structure, with teachers ‘at the top’, whereas others adopt a more egalitarian approach. Every school’s unique perspective can affect areas such as behaviour support, and can influence the strength, or otherwise, of teacher-student relationships in school.

Practical steps to strengthen the teacher-student relationship

Strong connections between teachers and students have positive and enduring implications for outcomes, both within and beyond the school building, so it’s in everyone’s interests to prioritise teacher-student relationships. The question is: what practical steps can we take to achieve this?

1: Foster a culture of understanding

A strong teacher-student relationship can only flourish within a wider, whole-school culture of understanding and compassion. This is particularly the case when it comes to behaviour support. With frameworks such as the PBL (Positive Behaviour for Learning) outlining different tiers of support, schools are already provided with guidance around the most appropriate interventions, led by need. This can be a useful starting point for conversations around behaviour in our contexts.