ABSTRACT
A factor that influences positive teacher–student relationships is the extent to which teachers succeed in getting to know and understand the students they teach. In high-performing urban schools, as teachers got to know students, they deliberately helped students feel valued and appreciated. Teachers established and maintained a rapport that helped students perceive teachers as approachable. Teaching styles may vary; however, teachers in high-performing schools demonstrated courtesy and respect in all interactions. Students offered a variety of examples to illustrate the ways in which teachers treated them with respect. Students in high-performing urban schools believed their teachers cared, in part because students perceived that their teachers taught challenging academic content, insisted upon good behavior, and demanded high-quality work. Teachers spent time explaining details about learning expectations and helping students understand how lessons were preparing them for later success in college, the workplace, or in other aspects of life.
