Teacher–student relationships, motivation, and competence at school

Abstract

There is no doubt that the nature and quality of children’s relationships with their teachers play a central role in motivating and engaging students to learn (Wentzel 2009). Teacher-student relationships that are emotionally close, safe, and trusting, that provide access to instrumental help, and that foster a more general ethos of community and caring in classrooms appear to be highly effective in promoting positive student outcomes. With respect to motivation, these relationship qualities are believed to support the development of students’ goals to achieve positive social and academic outcomes, emotional well-being and a positive sense of self, and actual levels of engagement. Empirical evidence that supports these claims (see Wentzel 2009, 2014 for reviews) suggests that emotionally supportive relationships with teachers are related significantly to students’ motivational outcomes throughout the school-aged years, including mastery and performance goal orientations, academic values, interest, and self-efficacy. The affective quality of students’ relationships with teachers also has been related to a range of motivational processes, including perceived autonomy, perceived control, self-esteem and positive self-regulatory skills. Finally, interventions have documented that improvements in teacher-student relationships can lead to enhanced motivation to achieve on the part of students.