Relationships Between Teachers and Children

Abstract This chapter examines the expanding body of research that demonstrates the central role of teacher‐student relationships and its reciprocal effect on students' learning, achievement, and school engagement and teachers' sense of efficacy, job satisfaction and retention in teaching. Pianta and colleagues review current work on teacher‐student relationships that has identified qualitative and quantitative parameters in relational processes between children and adults and the central role of relationships in affecting overall school climate and student performance. In the final section ideas for future research are presented that include, assessments of multi‐level and multi‐system influences such as culture, policy and biological processes on classroom relations and processes.