Teacher- Learner Relationship

In one of my colleague’s reflection, she identified what is important in the teaching and learning process, in which she spoke about forging relationships between the teacher and her students. And because of her building the link between the teacher and her students, she made a difference to the lives of her students. Today let me reflect on need for quality teacher learner relationship so that teachers can be effective in their teaching and their students learn well.

Let me begin by saying that it is important that we have are clear of the fact that teaching and learning are two separate and distinct processes. Often, I hear of teachers referring to teaching and learning as though they are one single entity. Why do I say that? Well, of the many differences between teaching and learning, I see the process of teaching been carried out by one person while the process of learning goes on inside another. And hence, if teaching and learning processes are to work effectively, there must be a unique teacher-learner relationship between these two separate persons.

One of the effective ways in forging this teacher-learner relationship is through communication and this requires communication skills. My colleague mentioned about the use of written notes – the written skill, which is certainly not hard for any teacher to utilize nor does it place unusual demands on teachers during their daily interactions with their students. Another skill I am thinking of involves talking. Both forms of communication can be destructive to the teacher-learner relationship as well as enhancing as these can separate the teacher from the teacher or move them closer. For the effect that such forms of communication produces depends on the quality of talk or written note and on the teacher’s selection of the most appropriate kind of talk or written note for different kinds of situation.

Take praise as an example, either spoken or written. I believe that every teacher knows how to praise their students. However, there are times when one kind of praising message causes students to feel misunderstood and manipulated while a slightly different message has high probability of making students see the teacher as a person who is genuine, as well as a person who really cares.

Teaching and learning time in the classroom should be taken up by real learning. And that occurs when teachers teach and are not disrupted by their students and students are motivated by their teachers to learn – all can be made possible by quality teacher-learner relationship.