Teachers' perception of their relationships with pupils: A study of teachers' personal views and experiences about the teacher-pupils relationship in terms of classroom management criteria

Abstract

In a multicultural country, and especially in schools where teachers meet different students, the role of teachers and their beliefs have important effects on children and their learning. A relationship based on trust between a teacher and a pupil is one of the most important factors contributing to learning (Hattie, 2009). This research thesis is built on a qualitative, phenomenological study design which analyzes the personal experiences of teachers from Norwegian schools. Against this background, the research question is: How do teachers perceive their relationship with their pupils in relation to their teaching role? The research question embraces the different concepts that are enlighten in the master thesis. Thus, the research is focused on the relationship between teachers and their pupils in a classroom, and precisely how teachers perceive this relationship. The theoretical framework is built on a pedagogical perspective where classroom management is one of the aspects of the teaching profession. Within this, authority, communication and the teacher's positive outlook on the pupil are three critical areas in the development of a teacher-pupil relationship (Nordahl, Hansen, & Hemmer, 2012; Nordahl, Lillejord, Manger, & Helland, 2013). Secondly, the skills of the teacher are developed to clarify the teacher's role in the relationship (Drugli, 2012). The method used to collect data is interview. The interviews are conducted with four teachers from different Norwegian schools that meet academic and social challenges on an everyday basis. The main findings in this study imply that the teachers??personal skills have a variable influence in their perception of the relationship with their pupils. Findings show that classroom management and teachers??skills are two important elements in the teacher-pupils relationship. They also demonstrate that communication, the positive outlook on the pupil and the authority of the teacher should be used carefully in order to create a positive relationship. Indeed, the question of authority is raised in order to understand the significance of the concept in the teacher-pupil relationship. Furthermore, findings venture an empiric balance between professional and personal skills, establishing a stable classroom atmosphere and favorably affecting the teacher-pupil relationship. In relation to the findings, the analysis of data finally reveals heterogeneity as well as homogeneity among the respondents??perception concerning the relationship with their pupils.