Introduction
The issue of declining academic performance of science students in Nigeria secondary schools has generated much interest among stakeholders in the education sector in Delta State. The quality of education and performance of science students depends on the relationship of the student and teachers in the course of the day to day teaching and learning process. Over time science students’ academic performance in both internal and external examinations had been used to determine the teachers’ pupils’ relationship (Ajao, 2011).
This was buttressed by Ogunsaju (2014) who stated that the academic standard of students in all Nigerian educational institutions has fallen considerably below societal expectations due to an ever growing poor relationship between the teachers and the students. Teachers have been known to have important influence on students’ academic achievement and they also play a crucial role in educational attainment because the teacher is ultimately responsible for translating educational policies and principles into actions based on practice during interaction with the students (Afe, 2010). Both teaching and learning depend on teachers: no wonder effective teachers’ students’ relationship has been conceptualized as one of the important factors that produce desired results in the course of day to day learning process of science students (Uchefuna 2009).
Considering governments’ huge investment in education, its output in terms of quality of students, especially science students has been observed to be unequal with government expenditure. Consequent upon the observed deterioration in the academic achievement, attitude and values of science student, one wonders if the high failure rates and the failure of the students especially in external examinations is not a reflection of the instructional quality in the schools. Therefore, the ineffectiveness of teachers in classroom interaction with the students could be responsible for the observed poor performance of students and the widely acclaimed fallen standard of education in Nigeria.
Conceptual framework
Good relationships between teachers and students are important for student motivation, their academic achievement and for teachers’ well-being. Poor teacher–student relationships are related to classroom management issues and are an important reason for leaving the profession. Many studies have been carried out all over the world to study teacher–student relationships in various countries and various educational contexts (e.g., secondary, vocational, and university education). All of these studies reported the significant and crucial role of teacher–student relationships in education (Wenglinsky, 2010).
Teacher–student relationships develop from daily classroom interactions between teacher and students. In studying the development of teacher–student relationships the real-time interactions between teachers and students in classrooms are the building blocks of teacher–student relationships. These relationships become manifest through the development of recurrent, relatively stable patterns in real-time interactions and these relationships constrain real-time processes and experiences (Maduka, 2008).
Real-time interactions are characterized by their content and structure which is characteristics in the context of teacher–student relationships: interpersonal content and interpersonal structure. According to Rivkin, Hanusk and Kain (2006), identifying the interpersonal content and interpersonal structure in teacher–student interactions may be critical for understanding teacher–student relationships. Rivkin et al (2006) identified a third distinctive characteristic of real-time interactions that is used in studies building on Interpersonal theory and interpersonal complementarily. According to Ajao (2011) interpersonal complementarily is probably the most predictive characteristic of interactions for studying differences in relationships. As a first step in studying on the relation between real-time teacher–student interactions and teacher–student relationships it is important to explore if teachers with different relationships with their students also differ in interpersonal content, structure and complementarily of the real-time interactions with their students. This discriminate validity of these real-time characteristics is a prerequisite for studying the relation between real-time (micro-level) and developmental time (macro-level) processes and experiences. Insight in the relation between real-time and developmental time processes and experiences contributes to the understanding of the development of teacher–student relationships, and to interventions to improve teaching practice.
Importance of teachers’ students’ relationship
According to Joshua and Joshua (2006), a good teachers’ students’ relationship creates many advantages between both the teachers and students. For instance, a good relationship produces a good environment within the classroom, which can be a vital point to the success of both teacher and student. On the other hand, there is a flip side to the coin and that is a bad relationship. A bad relationship is where most of the problems come about in the classroom for both teacher and student.
Blanksttein (2011) discovers that many students are no longer able to express and expand their minds because of the barriers placed upon them by their teachers and peers. Blanksttein wrote that one must conform to the teachers’ way of thinking because if you do not, you are taking a chance in receiving a bad grade. Even though one must compromise one’s own opinion to satisfy a teacher, it is worth it because you only need to take that course once if you follow the style and beliefs of your teacher. Then again, if you do not follow the pattern of your teacher, you may end up taking that same course many times until you finally surrender to the beliefs of your instructors.
The teacher’s opinion in the classroom can be overpowering in many cases and it can make you forfeit your own opinion even if you feel that you are right. Such intimidating methods of the teacher can repress the creativity of the student. Therefore, making the student into a uniform thinker, which is not the best way in acquiring knowledge. As Socrates would say, one must ask questions and challenge them to find the truth (the truth being knowledge) and that is the best way to acquire knowledge (Ajao, 2011).
Simply the notion that a teacher and a student are having a bad relationship can cause many problems. The problems that do derived can be very dramatic in both the teacher and the students. In case of the teacher, it could possibly make the teacher more inclined to punish students without even having a true valid excuse in doing so. Furthermore, communication which is one of the most essential tools in a place of education would be broken and perhaps never again be obtained (Oredein, 2010).
When the teacher creates an environment that the student feels comfortable and welcome it could only open the door for knowledge and even more. The reason being that the student feels confident to express himself without any fear of being isolated and ridicule from his peers and teachers. The teacher can also benefit from a good environment because the teacher will probably be more inclined to teach with inspiration and creativity. When someone feels comfortable in their environment, one is able to challenge many things that are not reasonable (Ofoegbu, 2009). Overall a good relationship can be beneficial to the teacher and the student, if not both the teacher and the student run the risk of losing something very valuable. Unnecessary obstacles are placed on the teacher and student when there is a bad relationship between them. So if there is any way to avoid a bad relationship, it should be done because nothing will be gained and no one will progress and succeed.
Causes of poor teachers’ students’ relationship
According to Nuhfer (2014), some students and teachers click right from the start, and other student-teacher relationships take time to develop. Unfortunately, there are occasions when teachers and students have long-lasting relationship problems. A poor relationship could be the result of a broken bond between them or an ongoing unresolved conflict that keeps the two from connecting. In a situation where the student poses no danger to a teacher, the teacher is often expected to establish a working relationship with the student. It is part of the teacher’s role as an educator and mentor to exercise good judgment when dealing with students.
The following are some of the causes of poor teachers’ students’ relationships according to Nuhfer (2014)
- Insensitivity to student needs: A lack of awareness on the part of the instructor leads to poor teacher-student relationships. Not all students respond the same way to lessons, and some require personalized educational practices. For example, a teacher might assume that a student who never volunteers in class is apathetic or disengaged. In reality, the student might be a visual learner who does not respond well to lecture-style teaching. Relationship troubles between teachers and students surface when a teacher doesn’t consider an individual student’s educational needs. Personality, family backgrounds, thought processes, learning styles, priorities, maturity levels and academic goals influence each student’s ability to learn and connect with educators. Teachers are wise to view each student as an individual who deserves one-on-one attention and specialized, focused instruction whenever possible.
- Teachers’ bullying: Bullying by a teacher leads to poor relationships with students. Stuart Twemlow, MD, a psychiatrist who directs the Peaceful Schools and Communities Project at the Menninger Clinic in Houston, conducted an anonymous survey of 116 teachers at seven elementary schools. Surprisingly, 45 percent of the teachers admitted to bullying a student. Twemlow defines teacher bullying as “using power to punish, manipulate, or disparage a student beyond what would be a reasonable disciplinary procedure.” When elementary, junior high, high school and even college instructors bully students, their behaviour results in dysfunctional teacher-student relationships. Students don’t trust teachers who bully them, and they don’t feel that those instructors have their best interests in mind. Some students lash out at teachers who bully them or withdraw completely — neither of which is a healthy or productive option.
- Crossed lines and mixed signals: Teachers often send students mixed messages. Social networking, texting and online teacher-student interactions complicate classroom relationships. In some cases, teachers get too friendly with their students and cross lines of professionalism, even when sexual misconduct doesn’t occur. For example, some students lose respect for teachers who accept their Facebook friend requests and post images of themselves taking part in inappropriate behaviours. When a teacher’s private, personal life becomes a part of the classroom environment, some students lose sight of appropriate boundaries.
- Troublesome behaviour: A leading cause of dissension between teachers and students is rude, disrespectful or condescending behaviour. Teachers are often to blame for these types of infractions, but students are guilty as well. Teachers who interrupt students, blame them for classroom problems, ignore students’ personal needs, criticize them in front of classmates and demonstrate apathy do their students a great disservice. Instructors should always try to show appreciation, respect, kindness and patience. Displaying flaring tempers, yelling at students and expressing frequent irritation results in stressful and unhealthy teacher-student relationships. Similarly, students who show disrespect, badmouth teachers or ignore well-meaning guidance contribute to strained relationships.
Poor teachers’ students’ relationship and academic performance
According to Barnett, Matthews and Jackson (2013), whether or not a there is good teachers’ students relationship has an impact on academic performance. The relationship between teachers’ students’ relationship and academic performance is a reciprocal one. In a study conducted looking at the risk factor that can affect teacher student relationship stating that when controlling for demographics of gender, ethnicity, socio-economic status and grade cohort, they found that low grade point average is a significant risk factor linked to poor teachers’ students’ relationship. This supports the idea that having a low grade point average can be a risk factor that leads to deviance.
In their study of the pathways between self-esteem and academic performance, Dunkin (2007) found that self-esteem had a significant negative impact on deviance, which had an inverse direct effect on motivation. This is directly tied to poor teachers’ students’ relationship and also to academic performance. Thus, deviant behaviour has an indirect effect on teachers’ students’ relationship and academic performance.
Barnett et al (2013) found that anti-social behaviour, the risk of dropping out and committing a crime all decline with higher academic performance. They stated that within high school settings, there is a high proportion of deviant youths and this negatively affected their relationship with their teachers and academic performance claiming that this drop in academic performance is related to the occurrence of poor teachers’ students’ relationship.
Solution to poor teachers’ students relationship
According to Onyeachu (2006), poor teachers’ students’ relationship are as a result of three basic factors, that is, the age of the student, his personality and the influence of the society. To proffer solution to poor teachers’ students’ relationship, Onyeachu (2006) stated that the following should be done;
- Teachers should avoid the use of complete authority in handling students
- Enough facilities should be provided in the school that will give room for teachers and students to make use of outside academic activities to create a strong bond between them
- Schools should endeavour to formulate few rules and regulations. Efforts should be made to get students represented in the school’s disciplinary committee;
- Since the students are under the care of the teacher, the teacher is expected to show good example to them. His authority and discipline over the students should personal rather than official;
- There should be co-operation between the home and the school so that the teacher will know the student’s home background. This will enable the teacher to solve problems of poor relationship due to personality.
- Parents’ show of concern for their children’s welfare is crucial;
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