Commentary: The Foundational Role of Teacher-Student Relationships

Gehlbach, H. & Robinson, C. D. (2016). Commentary: The Foundational Role of Teacher-Student Relationships. In K. Wentzel & G. Ramani (Eds.) Social Influences on Social-Emotional, Motivation, and Cognitive Outcomes in School Contexts (pp. 230-238). United Kingdom: Informa.

As the handbook chapters in this section demonstrate, teacher-student relationships prove time and again to be a key factor affecting educational outcomes. Armed with research that underscores the importance of teacher-student relationships, scholars and practitioners can work together to translate this research into usable knowledge for teachers. To do this, we argue that scholar-practitioner collaborations should focus on three dimensions of teacher-student relationships: how to understand, cultivate, and assess them. Furthermore, if we expect research to impact practice, teacher must first conceive of teacher-student relationships as a foundational part of their role as educators.