school despite the serious risk factors he
has faced, and his response was simple: his
teachers. I asked him to elaborate on the re-
sponse and his perception of the significance
of the student-teacher relationship focused
primarily on the need for high expectations.
He described the difference between teach-
ers with high and low expectations as being
the difference between students feeling val-
ued or rejected.
Jose’s view was that all students can be
positively impacted by teachers when they
demand excellence. He expressed that when
teachers have high expectations, even the
disciplinary kids work hard in class. High
expectations from his teachers was a key
contributor to his conquering of adverse
situations in his life.
He noted that his teachers who had high
expectations and provided the support to
meet the expectations, made him realize
that he could accomplish anything he set his
mind to. In contrast, Jose implies that when
a teacher has low expectations, it rubs off on
the students in the classroom. He declared,
“I’ve had some teachers that are just so bitter,
you know, you can tell they just don’t want to
be there. Some classes you just sit there; no-
body talks or does anything. I can see where
that is a class that nobody wants to go to.”
He concludes that students learn resil-
iency and how to succeed with challenges
when teachers expect their students to do
more, and they develop positive relation-
ships with their students.
Each student described the impact of
student-teacher relationships as the dif-
ference between student success or student
failure in school.
Three stories; three key conclusions
Although there are many factors that lead
to a child’s academic success, these three
studies feature the impetus of relationships
as a key contributor – if not the primary fac-
tor – in assisting adolescents to reach their
full potential as students. The influence of
the student-teacher relationship emerged
as the catalyst to fostering student resilience
and achievement.
The inf luence of nonparent adult rela-
tionships has been supported by research
for decades (Beam, Chen and Greenberger,
2002, Garmezy, 1985; Iver, 1990). Outside
of their parents, children spend the majority
of their time with educators, leaving teach-
ers as the most influential nonparent adult
relationship for children. Three important
themes emerged from the study in order for
the relationship to remain both productive
and successful.
A teacher’s language surfaced as one
important element to successful student-
teacher relationships. Teachers find them-
selves asking how they can reach the child
and motivate them to be resilient to chal-
lenges they face in school. In order for
teachers to foster growth mindsets in their
children, they must focus primarily on the
child’s beliefs. Research indicates that chil-
dren’s beliefs about their own intelligence
play an integral role in how they achieve in
school (Dweck, 2006).
32
Leadership