Abstract
Purpose. This study explored and analyzed teacher-student relationships that enhance learning from the perspective of high school students. There has been little research on what high school students think and feel about teacher-student relationships and their connection to learning. Methodology. Twenty-seven high school students from grades 9-12, attending six different high schools were select to participate in this ethnographic study in one-on-one conversations covering six research questions. They were: (1) What defines positive learning relationships with a teacher; (2) what motivates positive learning relationships with a teacher; (3) how is a teacher viewed as caring; (4) how does the teacher's feeling about the student enhance or limit their success in student learning; (5) how the students interpret the role between teacher-student relationships that enhance student learning; (6) what characteristics does a caring teacher demonstrate? Findings. High school students contend overwhelmingly that the teacher-student relationship is the most important factor in their learning. Students indicate that the classroom must be safe from student and teacher negative comments for positive teacher-student relationships to exist. Students define a positive teacher-student relationship as one that allows students to feel comfortable enough to ask the teacher for help. Students want individual help from the teacher as they move around the classroom. Helping students with school and personal matters motivates relationships. Caring was the most common characteristic identified. Positive and negative teacher attitudes and feelings communicated to students through teacher action and inaction motivates and destroys teacher-student relationships and student learning. Conclusions. Teacher-student relationship is most important to student learning. Student's (self) emotional and personal safety concerns in the classroom is the student's top personal need. It is the students' feelings, beliefs, and emotions based upon their teacher-student relationship and students' need to achieve in the school that promotes learning through relationship to complete the task. Students do more assignments and learn more from positive, caring teachers. Recommendations. Further studies: (1) replication of this study in urban and rural areas; (2) how teacher-student relationships change according to class size; (3) school schedules that may improve teacher-student relationships and student learning.