A comparative study of the perceptions of year 10 teachers and students on how the teacher-student relationship influences academic achievement

Abstract

In Dewey’s words, there is more to education than instruction (Dewey, 1938, as cited in William, 2017). Among the paths education takes towards academic success, the teacher-student relationship is highly regarded to be a valuable agent that may improve academic attainment. This comparative study seeks to understand the perceptions of teachers and students about how their relationship influences academic achievement. It adopts a social constructivist lens to study the perceptions of a sample of students and teachers in three secondary schools in Malta. Data was collected through focus groups with Year 10 students and through open-ended questionnaires with teachers. The thematic analysis approach led to three main areas: elements that contribute to a positive teacher-student relationship, the extent of the impact of this relationship on academic achievement and ways to improve it. Teachers and students generally agreed that certain qualities, behaviours and strategies, serve to strengthen the teacher-student relationship, which in turn, may improve academic attainment. The findings also highlight that teachers wish to be supported by school management in order to dedicate time to build relationships with their students. The study makes recommendations to policymakers in education to include this resource in educational policies and frameworks, while indicating areas for further study about the teacher-student relationship and its impact on academic achievement.