Cultivating Caring Relationships Between Teachers and Secondary Students With Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

Abstract

Educating secondary students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) is often an overwhelming task that places high demands on teachers. Existing research on effective social-emotional/behavioral and academic interventions for students with EBD is limited but expanding. Unfortunately, school and life outcomes for these students are dismal compared to other students. Certainly, there is much to learn about achieving positive outcomes for students with EBD. This article examines the potential role that caring teacher—student relationships have in achieving better outcomes for students with EBD within their current educational contexts. A rationale for why developing caring teacher—student relationships is important to improved outcomes for students with EBD is presented based on the current literature on caring teacher—student relationships. Potential barriers are delineated, followed by a summary of practices that serve as starting points for developing caring relationships between teachers and students with EBD. Last, research implications are suggested.

Teachers' relatedness with students: An underemphasized component of teachers' basic psychological needs.

“…On the basis of SDT and associated research (e.g., Bakker et al, 2007), we hypothesize that autonomy support from principals will enhance satisfaction of teachers' need for relatedness with students and colleagues, which in tum will raise engagement and lower emotional exhaustion. On the basis of previous research (e.g., Evelein et al, 2008;Jennings & Greenberg, 2009;Mihalas et al, 2009), we also hypothesize that satisfaction of the need for relatedness with students will be a comparatively stronger influence on engagement and emotional exhaustion for teachers in elementary schools than for teachers in secondary schools. Results from Study 1 will illuminate the links between satisfaction of two forms of teachers' relatedness, teachers' engagement, and emotional exhaustion.…”

Establishing Positive Relationships with Secondary Gifted Students and Students with Emotional/Behavioural Disorders: Giving These Diverse Learners What They Need

“…Whereas there has been increasing recognition of the importance of addressing the social and emotional needs of gifted students, there is a lack of research regarding the relationships between gifted students and their teachers. Similarly, there is little literature on the effect of caring student-teacher relationships on outcomes for students with EBD (Mihalas et al, 2009). Furthermore, educational policy in Western Australia does not directly address the importance of teaching relationships with either group of students.…”

“…This is especially important for students with EBD, because these students are the least liked group of students (Baker, 2005) and show lower levels of satisfaction and affiliation than other students (Murray & Greenburg, 2001). Students with EBD have a higher risk than their peers for juvenile delinquency, incarceration at some point later on in life, and school dropout (Mihalas, Morse, Allsopp, & Alvarez McHatton, 2009); but EBD students can have their risk reduced through strong relationships with teachers (Wehlage, Rutter, Smith, & Fernandez, 1989).…”

Prove Them Wrong Be There for Secondary Students with an Emotional or Behavioral Disability

“…But as these students walk into the classroom, they are craving attention and acceptance from their teachers, just like every other student. Throughout their lives, some students with EBO have had few, if any, consistent, appropriate adult relationships in their lives (Mihalas, Morse, Allsopp, & Alvarez McHatton, 2009). For example, navis was physically, mentally, sexually, and emotionally abused by several foster families throughout his life.…”