The Importance of a Student/Teacher relationship
A strong one on one relationship between Faculty and Students can greatly improve the learning experience. Faculty can provide extra motivation to students, and this relationship leads to extended learning outside of the classroom. Faculty members are a huge source of knowledge, and it is important to utilize this source as much as possible. In large lecture classrooms this can be difficult, and nearly impossible. To help combat this, giving personalized feedback so a student knows what he/she must work on can greatly improve a students’ motivation and work ethic. A Bowling Green State University Computer Science Faculty member suggests, “Maybe more one-on-one discussions with the student to focus the project, to give it some additional criteria that allow it to go deeper.” High Achieving Students (HAS) however are much more likely to engage faculty, and provide the catalyst for the relationship. In addition, faculty members can benefit from discussions with these High Achieving Students.
If one on one discussions are held outside of the classroom, this allows faculty to personalize the subject matter which in turn helps the student learn the material. A Bowling Green State University Business Faculty member explains, “And for those students who come to class, form a relationship with the faculty member, I think they get a tremendous educational experience at Bowling Green. These students tend to, and I would encourage them to reach out to faculty members. Get to know them, stop by their office hours, that helps a lot.”
Student/Faculty relationships can help any student. If faculty can attempt to engage individual students at times and personalize the class, this provides extra motivation for these students. Therefore, creating an environment that encourages students to generate a strong relationship with their faculty would result in a more enriching learning experience.
References
Brackenbury, Tim. "A Qualitative Examination Of Connections Between Learner-Centered Teaching And Past Significant Learning Experiences." Journal Of The Scholarship Of Teaching And Learning 12.4 (2012): 12-28. ERIC. Web. 28 Apr. 2015.