As the school year starts, a teacher’s main focus is often on procedures, rules, and expectations which are all very important; while on the other hand, the student is just concerned about who is in his class and whether or not he will get along  with his teacher. According to ASCD, an online website that supports education and the development of student- teacher relations, all teachers know that when you have “a strong classroom routine and you are open from the start with your class, it will function much better than if you don’t take the time to build those routines and the structure in and out of the class.” However, in the process, teachers can and should also build a relationship with their students outside of the classroom.

There are so many essential relationships to develop in the classroom, including the student and teacher one. Students need to develop relationships with each other as they have been peers for years. Along with this, it is equally as important to develop a bond with the teachers because you will spend a year with them and need to understand who they are as an individual. In a recent study on Edublogs, a meta-analysis of more than 100 studies “found that the quality of teacher-student relationships is the keystone for all other aspects of classroom management.”

Colleen Werner, a popular, well-liked mathematics teacher, is a perfect example of a teacher who has done this. She has worked in Ipswich High School for many years and throughout those years, she has worked hard to improve herself as a teacher. She works hard to build a strong relationship with her students, not just in the classroom.   Student Katherine Noftall states, “I took Pre Calculus last year and it was the hardest class I have taken in high school. It made me frustrated and it was making my grade suffer. I was always comfortable to talk with Mrs. Werner for help and she took the extra steps needed to ensure I got it. She was always there by my side pushing me to do my best and I still talk to her everyday this year. I talk to her just like she is my friend and I can trust her with anything I’m dealing with.” She teaches independence, whether we see it or not and wants all of her students to be the best they can.

Building and developing a positive relationship between teachers and students has a positive, long-lasting, and significant impact on the students’ lives, both academically and socially according to The American Psychological Association. Everyday, we get up to go class, go to sport practices, and to work. We spend hours in a chair listening and being taught by the teacher. Yet sometimes teachers and students don’t get along. However, when teachers put in the extra effort in and outside of the classroom, it really affects the student. It makes the relationship go beyond just the work, grades, and assignments.

David Wood, an English teacher at Ipswich High and a fairly new coach of the Girls Varsity Soccer team, is one who can support this. He is one who teaches his students in the classroom everyday then after school is teaching them on the field. “I can come to him with any problems I have on and off the field. He is just like an older brother to me,” said Justin Foye, a player and student of Mr. Wood. 

A connection with your coach is one like no other. They build you to be the best person you can be. They are able to see the you that’s not the one just sitting in the classroom stressed out and bored in the desk.  Having your coach be your teacher can push you to reach your maximum potential. .

Some kids sometimes think that it is hard to build a strong relationship with teachers outside of the classroom because it can be awkward and you have to make them like you as an individual in order to make sure the teacher likes them. They are the ones giving you a grade after all. The same goes for teachers and they often talk about how hard it is to connect with their students at times. Mrs. Werner and Mr. Wood  do their best to get rid of this myth and are able to form connections with their students.