Relationships Between Teachers and Suspended Students: The Students’ Perspectives

• In Event: Issues and Interventions in School Safety

Abstract

The purpose of this presentation is to share the findings of a phenomenological study with students who had been in ISS, specifically focusing on their perceptions of their relationships with teachers. Research confirms the importance of positive teacher/student relationships; however, while teachers may realize the need for building strong relationships with their students, when students demonstrate challenging behaviors, this need is often usurped by the felt need to restore order and control in the classroom. Previous research from the perspectives of teachers has suggested that when students fail to conform to classroom expectations or manifest behaviors deemed disruptive or disrespectful, teachers experience frustration, burnout, and attrition. This research seeks the often ignored perspectives of the students.

Author

• Katherine Rene Evans, Eastern Mennonite University