Sources used in this document:

Literature Review- Scholarly examination on the subject of student-teacher relationships shows only marginal and very sporadic accounts within the educational field prior to 1980. Edgar & Johnson (1995) suggested using relationship building strategies that have been approved by three federally financed prevention programs for middle school and high school youth for promoting teacher-student connectedness. Strategies presented were: maintaining persistence, establishing fairness procedures, and increasing student affiliation (Edgar & Johnson, 1995).

Persistence: Students that received long-term contact with teachers were more likely to foster feelings of belonging. The persistent contact acted as encouragement which promoted student motivation (Edgar & Johnson, 1995). Teachers that continually worked with students were sending nonverbal messages affirming their belief in the students. Edgar & Johnson (1995) found counselors were more successful when students perceived them as trusting and helpful. Actions that earned counselors the respect of the students were: demonstrating continual interest in the students, doing favors to show care, and by being respectful and courteous in return to the students (Edgar & Johnson, 1995). According to Wheatley (2002), teacher persistence was especially beneficial for students who had low self-expectations and whom others viewed with lower expectations. Teacher persistence has been noted to promote higher expectations among their students (Wheatley, 2002).

Fairness: Edgar & Johnson (1995) cited findings that encouraged schools to review their school rules to ensure that the discipline procedures supported equal treatment for all students. By treating all students the same, in regards to discipline matters, demonstrated a sense of caring across all individual students' backgrounds (Edgar & Johnson, 1995). Regardless of ethnic or socioeconomic background, all students appreciated the core value that fairness be practiced by all school staff. Students quickly observed and perceived adult responses and made judgments as to whether or not they were