A Mixed Methods Pilot Study of an Equity‐Explicit Student‐Teacher Relationship Intervention for the Ninth‐Grade Transition

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Student-teacher relationships are associated with the social and emotional climate of a school, a key domain of the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child Model. Few interventions target student-teacher relationships during the critical transition to high school, or incorporate strategies for enhancing equitable relationships. We conducted a mixed-methods feasibility study of a student-teacher relationship intervention, called Equity-Explicit Establish-Maintain-Restore (E-EMR). METHODS:We tested whether students (N = 133) whose teachers received E-EMR training demonstrated improved relationship quality, school belonging, motivation, behavior, and academic outcomes from pre-to post-test, and whether these differences were moderated by race. We also examined how teachers (N = 16) integrated a focus on equity into their implementation of the intervention. RESULTS:Relative to white students, students of the color showed greater improvement on belongingness, behavior, motivation, and GPA. Teachers described how they incorporated a focus on race/ethnicity, culture, and bias into E-EMR practices, and situated their relationships with students within the contexts of their own identity, the classroom/school context, and broader systems of power and privilege. CONCLUSIONS:We provide preliminary evidence for E-EMR to change teacher practice and reduce educational disparities for students of color. We discuss implications for other school-based interventions to integrate an equity-explicit focus into program content and evaluation.

The Potential for Teacher‐Student Relationships and the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child Model to Mitigate Adverse Childhood Experiences

“…20,41,49,51,53,55,57 Only two known studies were interventions specifically targeting TSRs in adolescence. 56,61 Most TSR interventions consisted of teacher education and skills training. 20,41,[49][50][51][52][53][54][55][57][58][59][60] Teacher training ranged from a 3-hour training 41,50 to a 15-week training that integrated classroom training and coaching.…”

“…41,50 One preliminary study even explored a modified version of EMR with high school students. 61 EMR was a three-phase (establish, maintain, and restore) universal intervention where teachers engaged in a 3-hour training, a follow-up session, and weekly reminders before and during implementation. Establish involved teachers ''banking time'' with students through one-on-one, student-selected, planned interactions where teachers connect with students by utilizing specific relationshipbuilding communication skills.…”

“…This was supplemented by positive feedback, special greetings, and other ways to intentionally connect with students. 41,61 Maintain focused on teachers maintaining relationships using similar techniques while ensuring a 5:1 ratio of positive to negative interactions. 41 Restore ensured teachers actively used restorative practices and techniques to address any conflict or negative interactions with students to maintain TSRs.…”

“…41 Restore ensured teachers actively used restorative practices and techniques to address any conflict or negative interactions with students to maintain TSRs. 41,61 Child-teacher relationship training (CTRT) was the only known TSR intervention utilized to build TSRs with children who experienced trauma. CTRT is a form of child-centered play therapy taught to kindergarten and early elementary school teachers that involved extensive pre-service and ongoing training to teach teachers play-therapy skills.…”

“…22 Researchers have already begun to explore how the ''social and emotional climate'' component of the WSCC could be targeted using TSR interventions. 61 The WSCC model also emphasizes community and family partnerships. 22 Innovative community and family partnerships could empower parents, caregivers, or community mentors 75 to form resilience-building relationships with children to potentially supplement TSRs.…”