How Important is the Student Teacher Relationship?

I have been thinking about this topic. My son needed some help getting organized, also I wanted him to learn some study skills.

So I got him a tutor, my thought being, I would get him a tutor for a few months to help him with the transition into the Middle School routine. It's now 2 months later, and I never want to let his tutor go, I'm ready to invite her to move in!

This tutor has such an amazing relationship with my son, she has my son's brain working overtime! I sit in the other room and listen to them, and she is opening his world to so many things. She's a retired teacher, I hope her students knew how blessed they were to have her.

Now granted, she only has my son to focus on when she's tutoring him (not that I think that would matter with her, she's just gifted), but their relationship has got me thinking.

Every year, a few weeks into the new school year I ask my son, "what subject do you think will be your most favorite subject this year?" Every year he has had a different answer, and I realized he never bases his answer on the subject, it's always based on the teacher he connects with the most. I always know no matter what the subject, even if it was the subject he hated, and did not get the highest grades in the previous year, this year, his highest grades will be in that subject! It never fails..

I remember in High School I had a teacher my older sister had two years prior, my sister loved this teacher. One day my sister and I were at her locker in the Hall, and this teacher walked by, they both were happy to see each other, my sister happily said "This is my sister. Hope! She's in your class this year!" And this knuckle head teacher looked at me and said "you're in one of my classes?" I had been in his class for MONTHS! After that I could not focus in his class, I no longer has any respect for him, and as hard as I tried I could not concentrate in his class.

Remembering this experience in school, (which I will never forget) and thinking about my son's relationship with his tutor I really wonder, How important is the Student Teacher Relationship???

Opinions??



Student Teacher Relationships

Agree or Disagree? Link above.