Teachers and Students
There are two key principles in the relationship between teachers and students or their parents in modern school: communication and cooperation. They are the foundation on which real connection is established between these parties that must work together in the development of future generation. This view is a new approach of modern school that differs from traditional school where the relationship between teachers and students and between students themselves was based mainly on the concept of competition.What is cooperation? While traditional school is focused on who's the best, in modern school, as Celestin Freinet said, the idea is that every individual is complementary with the others forming a cooperative group. This is the cooperation between students: one student can help the others and vice versa at different levels. This way, every individual in the group can arrive at the top some time.Besides the cooperation within the group in a classroom and with other groups outside the classroom, there must also be cooperation between teachers and students. Teachers are not supposed to just do their job, namely teaching their subject sitting at their desk, and react only when they are asked to by the students. A teacher's active presence, not only physical, within the group of students must be constant. This means they work together, establish tasks together, the teacher being their coordinator. Family must not be forgotten in this equation. Frequent contact with student's parents in the form of various meetings and common activities will help the teachers to know their students better. A proper and friendly family environment is essential for a good performance in school. Special cases of bad behavior or bad school results are to be discussed with the parents for finding out together what the cause was and discover the best solutions. The students perceive cooperation between teachers and families as a sign of care and interest from both sides and these play the role of stimulants for the students.Cooperation between teachers and students, and between students themselves helps to develop attitudes favorable to the work and life together. It creates an atmosphere appropriate for teaching the courage to assume one’s responsibility and duties, the habit to listen and respect others’ opinion, the acceptance of tolerance. The truth is that school is a second home as students spend almost half of their time there and teachers may be considered as another big family for them. Cooperation is based on a continuous dialogue between teachers and students, namely a two-way communication.Both children and adults need to express themselves and communicate with each other by speaking, writing, drawing and so on. As a teacher, perhaps you have encountered the unstoppable need children have to talk. If they don't talk to you, they will talk with their desk mate. Any type of communication manifested by a student must be encouraged and helped to succeed. An atmosphere of real communication between teachers and students in the classroom is achieved when the students express freely, not asked to. A technique used is talk. Spontaneous talk generates a climate of trust and cheerfulness. Teaching students to listen, talk and comment stimulate creativity. Teachers must encourage students to express themselves while being tolerant with their mistakes, controlling and guiding the dialogue.Although communication between teachers and students takes place mainly at school, during classes, communication with parents may take many forms. Teachers may inform parents about issues concerning education of their children by organizing meetings between teachers and parents, calling on the phone or writing notes to parents. The teacher will point out to the family the evidence when their constant communication really had good results on students. When in need, both the teacher and the family will find support in each other for solving difficult issues.A more pleasant way of communication between teachers and students is organizing parties together on special events or trips. Cooperation gives way to communication. Outside the school walls and in the presence of their family, if invited, as a safe ground, students may give way much more to their personality. This way, teachers may observe aspects and attitudes completely unknown or even shocking that help them take measures if needed or guide them how to act or react from now on for a better cooperation and communication with their students.Finally, let's not forget the limits of the connection between teachers and students imposed by the position teachers occupy in the relation with their students. There are no rules about how to react when a student becomes too familiar with a teacher and asks improper questions or replies in an impolite manner. Here we come to a mined field. How the situation is surpassed depends on the talents a teacher has and the psychology knowledge and experience on children and young people the teacher possess. Interesting examples are offered by some movies and literature. The important thing is that teachers behave in such a way that the students must feel all the time there is a certain limit up to which they can reach to their teacher.The position a teacher holds in a school is imposed by the profession and the ultimate role the teacher has, namely education. Teachers are human being, but they must not forget that their students are the same. Nevertheless, both teachers and students are supposed to connect mediated by mutual respect. The respect a teacher wants must be gained by demonstrating why he or she deserves to be respected. For this, the teacher must prove to the students determination, good knowledge of the taught subject and understanding. At the same time, the teacher must show respect to the students, by treating them as human beings, using praise appropriately, being supportive and fair. It is not an easy job, but what the teacher gives will come back as a reward of the patient work. In fact, by treating students with respect, the teacher is teaching them how to respect others.It really takes time and experience to find what works and what doesn't within a connection between teachers and students. A teacher has to find his or her own way depending on the class level and most of the time on the spot. However, some good knowledge of psychology and pedagogy is essential to be able to choose and apply methods and then see what works. Neither classes nor students are all alike!
