The Impact of Supportive Teacher-Student Relationships on Academic Performance

Abstract

In my previous research findings, one of the themes on the impact of positive teacher-student relationships revealed that healthy relationships promote academic performance. To deepen the findings, the researcher conducted a mixed methods research design. The inferential correlation analysis was carried out for this qualitative survey. Altogether, 100 students and 40 teachers from various schools participated in this data collection under Samdrup Jongkhar District. The study on supportive teacher-student relationships revealed that it improves student engagement and motivation during class. Children participate more and become open and friendly with the teacher. The supportive teacher-student relationships motivate and create a fulfilling learning environment. They take ownership of their tasks and build learning curiosity which is the engine of learning. For the qualitative interview study, the sample consisted of 40 teachers and 30 secondary school students. The data were collected through the use of semi-structured interviews and transcribed and analyzed using a thematic approach. This qualitative study revealed that supportive teacher-student relationships help students to become more interactive, improve their approachability, and boost attachment. The healthy teacher-student relationship nurtures love, cultivates respect, and fosters a sense of security. Children love the subject taught by teachers who have healthy relationships with them and ultimately enhance their academic performance. Teachers get more time for lesson preparation and assessment. They give consistent feedback and pay more attention to all the individuals in the class since they do not waste their time correcting the student’s disruptive behaviours resulting in negative teacher-student relationships.