Page 31 - Štremfel, Urška, and Maša Vidmar (eds.). 2018. Early School Leaving: Training Perspectives. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut.
P. 31
the importance of the social and emotional competencies of educational staff
for all, but when the teacher’s SEC are low this makes all phases of the cycle
become more negative, leading to teacher burnout (Jennings & Greenberg,
2009).
Why are teachers’ SEC important:
The student-teacher relationship and teacher well-being
The idea of the teacher’s SEC being important reflects the fact that learn-
ing in schools is relational (Schonert-Reichl, Hansons-Peterson, et al. 2015)
and teaching is an emotional practice (Hargreaves, 1998). Thus, the teach-
er’s SEC influence teacher-student relationships and the centrality of rela-
tionships in human development is revealed in many theories and stud-
ies (e.g. Bowlby, 1969; Vygotsky, 1978; Ainsworth, Blehar, Waters, & Wall,
1978). SEC allow teachers to understand students’ motivations and respond
to their needs. Teachers are more proactive and authoritative, they notice
changes in children’s engagement and use emotional expressions and verbal
support to promote enthusiasm for learning (Jennings, 2015). Teachers who
are calm, positive and content are more likely to respond warmly and sen-
sitively, even when students behave in a challenging way (Jones et al., 2013).
The wealth of correlational and longitudinal studies conducted in different
countries with students of different ages suggests that teacher-student re-
lationship patterns are linked to students’ social, emotional and school-re-
lated adjustment and functioning; moreover, improving and strengthen-
ing the child-teacher relationship can have a dramatic impact on children’s
outcomes as well as the teachers’ own mental health, job satisfaction, sense
of efficacy (for a review, see Pianta, Hamre, & Stuhlman, 2003).
Several longitudinal studies show that a teacher’s report of a sup-
portive relationship with a student has positive effects on students’ be-
havioural and academic adjustment (e.g. Birch & Ladd, 1996; Curby,
Rimm-Kaufman, & Ponitz, 2009; Hamre & Pianta, 2001; Hughes, Cavell,
& Jackson, 1999; Ladd, Birch, & Buhs, 1999; Meehan, Hughes, & Cavell,
2003; O’Connor & McCartney, 2007; Pianta & Stuhlman, 2004; Valiente,
Lemery-Chalfant, Swanson, & Reiser, 2008). Results of international stud-
ies (e.g. PISA in OECD, 2013 & OECD, 2017) also support these findings.
Namely, in all countries and economies students from a similar socio-eco-
nomic background and with an equal performance who reported better
student-teacher relations (greater teacher support, fairness of the teacher)
also reported a stronger sense of belonging to their school. And, on the
contrary, different studies show that student-teacher conflict or other types
31
for all, but when the teacher’s SEC are low this makes all phases of the cycle
become more negative, leading to teacher burnout (Jennings & Greenberg,
2009).
Why are teachers’ SEC important:
The student-teacher relationship and teacher well-being
The idea of the teacher’s SEC being important reflects the fact that learn-
ing in schools is relational (Schonert-Reichl, Hansons-Peterson, et al. 2015)
and teaching is an emotional practice (Hargreaves, 1998). Thus, the teach-
er’s SEC influence teacher-student relationships and the centrality of rela-
tionships in human development is revealed in many theories and stud-
ies (e.g. Bowlby, 1969; Vygotsky, 1978; Ainsworth, Blehar, Waters, & Wall,
1978). SEC allow teachers to understand students’ motivations and respond
to their needs. Teachers are more proactive and authoritative, they notice
changes in children’s engagement and use emotional expressions and verbal
support to promote enthusiasm for learning (Jennings, 2015). Teachers who
are calm, positive and content are more likely to respond warmly and sen-
sitively, even when students behave in a challenging way (Jones et al., 2013).
The wealth of correlational and longitudinal studies conducted in different
countries with students of different ages suggests that teacher-student re-
lationship patterns are linked to students’ social, emotional and school-re-
lated adjustment and functioning; moreover, improving and strengthen-
ing the child-teacher relationship can have a dramatic impact on children’s
outcomes as well as the teachers’ own mental health, job satisfaction, sense
of efficacy (for a review, see Pianta, Hamre, & Stuhlman, 2003).
Several longitudinal studies show that a teacher’s report of a sup-
portive relationship with a student has positive effects on students’ be-
havioural and academic adjustment (e.g. Birch & Ladd, 1996; Curby,
Rimm-Kaufman, & Ponitz, 2009; Hamre & Pianta, 2001; Hughes, Cavell,
& Jackson, 1999; Ladd, Birch, & Buhs, 1999; Meehan, Hughes, & Cavell,
2003; O’Connor & McCartney, 2007; Pianta & Stuhlman, 2004; Valiente,
Lemery-Chalfant, Swanson, & Reiser, 2008). Results of international stud-
ies (e.g. PISA in OECD, 2013 & OECD, 2017) also support these findings.
Namely, in all countries and economies students from a similar socio-eco-
nomic background and with an equal performance who reported better
student-teacher relations (greater teacher support, fairness of the teacher)
also reported a stronger sense of belonging to their school. And, on the
contrary, different studies show that student-teacher conflict or other types
31
