“I Have Invested in These Twenty-Eight Kids and They’re Mine”: The Ongoing Work of Building Relationships With Latinx Students

Abstract

Teacher-student relationships (TSRs) are crucial for enhancing academic achievement and supporting the overall school adjustment of students from diverse backgrounds and low-income communities. This study explores elementary teachers’ motivation and practices to build strong TSRs with Latinx students over time. Participants included 27 teachers working in an urban elementary school that predominantly served Hispanic students from low socio-economic status communities. The findings revealed that teachers highly value TSRs, even while facing significant challenges. Cultural differences and language barriers often complicated their work, yet these obstacles motivated teachers to deliberately adopt practices, such as supporting and advocating for students’ needs, fostering communication and embracing vulnerability, affirming students’ potential, and being a positive influence beyond the classroom to establish, maintain, and deepen the meaningful TSRs. This study highlights the necessity and significance of TSRs and advocates for systematic change that prioritizes TSRs.