Discussion on Harmonious College Teacher-Student Relationship
Ju- ling Qiao
School of Management, University of Jinan, Jinan, P.R.China
(e-mail:Qiao58@126.com)
Abstract - Teacher-student relationship is the basic
relationship in educational activities of universities.
Connotation illustration of teacher-student relationship,
significance analysis of establishing harmonious college
teacher-student relationship in the new period and
suggestion of corresponding countermeasures are of great
practical significance to harmonious development of
education and construction of harmonious society.
Keywords - Teacher-student relationship; harmony;
countermeasures
I. INTRODUCTION
Teacher-student relationship is a critical issue of
educators’ research and an eternal topic in university
campuses. It represents the interpersonal relationships in
the teaching process of higher education, as well as a
special social relationship formed due to certain tasks to
be completed by teachers and students in educational and
teaching activities. Such relationship directly influence
teaching, scientific research and other work of colleges,
even development of subjects. Since colleges have been
expanding their enrollment in recent years, higher
education of our country has developed from elite
education to massive education, creating variations in the
teacher-student relationship[1]. Specific to this new
situation, discussion of countermeasures against
harmonious college teacher-student relationship has
already become an important project for higher educators
in the new period.
II. CONNOTAYION OF TEACHER-STUDENT
RELATIONSHIP IN THE COLLEGE
The teacher-student relationship existing in
educational and teaching activities of colleges is a
relationship system involving a number of elements,
which reflects political, economic, cultural and moral
relationships in the society, also involves teaching and
learning relationship generated aiming at achieving
educational objectives and finishing teaching tasks,
meanwhile, involves psychological relationship in
emotion, behavior, etc. College teacher-student
relationship is a complicated relationship system
composed of several levels. An accurate mastery of its
connotation would lay down foundation for construction
of harmonious teacher-student relationship.
1) Analysis in psychological level
College teacher-student relationship mainly includes
relations in recognition, emotion, etc. among teachers and
students in colleges. A better recognition and emotional
relationship among teachers and students are represented
as integrity in dream, belief, interest and value and as
emotional compatibility. This relationship is the one
among adults, and emotions in between are established on
the basis with certain maturity. Effects of emotional
interaction upon teaching results would not be
underestimated.
2) Analysis at educational level
College teacher-student relationship is mainly
represented in educational and teaching process. The
working relationship formed among college teachers and
students, who are aiming at finishing certain tasks
together, is also called teaching relationship. Due to
diversities in student characteristics and differences in
independent consciousness and ability of distinguishing
right from wrong, in educational and teaching activities,
they hope to participate in equal communications with
teachers. Specific to this feature, teachers must leave
certain space and chances for students’ independent
thinking, and cultivate their ability of active participation
and self-culture.
3) Analysis at ethnical level
Teacher-student relationship in colleges represents
the relationship between moral obligations that should be
fulfilled by both teachers and students, which consists of
two aspects. On one hand, it is represented as teachers’
respect upon students and strong sense of responsibility of
cultivating students into talents, faithfully imparting
knowledge and educating people. On the other hand, it is
represented as students’ respect upon their teachers’ sweat
and dignity, meanwhile maintaining prestige and
reputation as a teacher.
4) Analysis at legislative level
As the society is under rapid development, the
teacher-student relationship in college educational
activities maintained on dependence of moral ideas has
failed to adapt to requirements of modern higher
education development. Those special social relations
formed among various elements in educational activities
are legislatively represented as the legal relationship
between each element and statutory rights and
obligations. This legal relationship refers to rights and
obligations between college teachers and students in the
process of teaching and learning.
5) Analysis at interpersonal communication level
Since teachers and students in the college have
similar aspirations and interests, a kind of non-official
personal relationship with strong affective characteristics
could come into existence, by which the teachers and
students
could
carry
out
in-depth
two-way
communications freely. Through such communication,
teachers would gradually become scholarly mentors and
beneficial friends. This personal relationship meets the
needs for teacher-student communication, and covers
deficiencies at other levels, thus playing a coordination
role.
III. SIGNIFICANCE OF HARMONIOUS COLLEGE
TEACHER-STUDENT RELATIONSHIP
ESTABLISHMENT
A harmonious teacher-student relationship plays an
essential role in higher education, higher teaching and
student growth, as well as avails student in fresh
knowledge acceptance and application, fostering of
creative spirit and growth of college students; if this
relationship is inharmonious, efficiency of teaching and
acceptance would be impacted, thus negatively
influencing the students in establishing harmonious
interpersonal relationship when they step into society, and
finally their occupational growth. Therefore, construction
of harmonious teacher-student relationship is of great
significance to college teaching and educational activities.
1) Harmonious teacher-student relationship
contributes to overall quality improvement of
college students
Research shows that, harmonious teacher-student
relationship could cultivate college students to study hard,
and contribute to their accurate understanding of
interpersonal relationship, promotion of communication
ability, development of individuality and improvement of
overall quality. Under such a harmonious relationship,
teachers and students could enjoy equal discussion and
independent communication. As the leader and promoter,
teachers should play the role of initiator, conducting
students to apply what they have gained into practice,
developing their potentials and contributing to fostering of
their thinking and creativity. Teachers’ manners could
unconsciously guide their students in accurately
understanding the society, thus resulting in healthy
psychological quality. Teachers permeate their caring and
passion upon students in teaching and management and
try their best to create harmonious teaching and learning
atmosphere, which contributes to students’ emotional
resonance and positive emotional experience, thus
improving healthy development of emotional education.
2) Harmonious college teacher-student relationship
contributes to achievement of educational mission for
college teachers
The duty as a teacher is imparting knowledge and
educating people, not only meaning transference of
knowledge and skills, what’s more important is fostering
of students’ morality, improvement of their overall quality
and excavation of their potentials in every aspect. A
harmonious relationship promotes teachers to love their
work and be devoted in it, be meticulous with knowledge
and be concerned of their students. Mutual understanding
and mutual trust between teacher and student would
narrow their psychological distance, enhance students’
sense of trust and identity upon teachers, which contribute
to a good style of teaching and studying. Teachers would
be comforted and pleased with respect and support from
students, so that their passion for teaching and education
is thus enhanced, which contributes to successful
accomplishment of their tasks. The harmonious
relationship between teachers and students could
strengthen teachers’ role as moral example, improve
students’ morality and overall quality, so that quality of
teaching and education would be improved and teachers’
task be better fulfilled.
3) Harmonious college teacher-student relationship
contributes to construction of harmonious campus
Construction of harmonious teacher-student
relationship is the requirement of college educational
reform and of harmonious campus construction. A
harmonious campus emphasizes the educational
conception of “people oriented”, focuses on student
ability cultivation and intellectual development, which is
the environment that both teachers and students are eager
for. It is a brand new educational style emphasizing
internal peace and external smoothness, coordinated
development, integral optimization, and congruous and
integrated
campus
atmosphere,
which
reflects
comprehensive effects of making development of
students, teachers and schools as purpose. During the
process of teaching and learning, understanding, mutual
trust and equality between teachers and students would
create harmonious and pleased campus atmosphere and
would surly produce good educational result.
Construction of such a harmonious relationship is the
basic condition of harmonious campus construction. Only
if teachers and students are in harmony could campus
atmosphere be in harmony, could educational elements
inside colleges be mutually depended, coordinated and
promoted, could a good style of teaching, studying and
school spirit come into being, and could useful talents
meeting era needs be cultivated.
4) Harmonious college teacher-student relationship
contributes to constriction of harmonious society
Construction of harmonious teacher-student
relationship is the requirement of times development and
harmonious society construction. As a social component,
college is also the microcosm of harmonious society.
With a harmonious relationship, teachers and students
could present democratic roles in teaching and learning
and show an atmosphere in harmony, only through this
could the platform of mutual respect be built, could
teachers and students be mentally corresponded and
connected, thus a sincere relationship between teachers
and students would take shape. In harmonious teaching
and learning, students acquire knowledge and skills, and
their overall quality is improved; through such activities,
teachers could help their students feel the harmonious
atmosphere and being respected, which contributes to
students developing into talents to better adapt to society.
Colleges transmit qualified graduates cultivated under
harmonious environment to every branch of the society
and distribute the conception of harmony in every corner
of the society, which has laid down firm foundation for
construction and development of harmonious society[2].
Ⅳ. COUNTERMEASURES FOR HARMONIOUS
COLLEGE TEACHER-STUDENT RELATIONSHIP
CONSTRUCTION IN THE NEW SITUATION
1) Establish new style of teaching philosophy
Traditional education philosophy emphasizes
“teacher’s dignity” and “teacher centered”, etc. However,
as a cultural phenomenon, it still exits in modern society.
Therefore, educational staff should update such
philosophy on the assumption of harmonious teacherstudent relationship establishment. First, the philosophy
of student oriented should be established. The relationship
between teachers and students, which is democratic,
devoted, interactive and suitable for students’ overall
development, shall be created, with teachers and students
being infected and pleased. The new style of educational
model, which demonstrates “teacher as leader, student as
subject, active and mutual participation”, shall be
founded, with implementation of humanized management.
Second, the philosophy of caring students should be
established. As the mental bridge connecting teacher and
student, teacher’s love is the spring of educational power
and cornerstone of educational success. Teachers should
communicate with students depending on their love, being
oriented by students, and open their hearts with warm
current full of love, adhere to the idea of treating people
with sincerity, convincing people by reasoning, and
affecting people with emotion, thus win the respect and
esteem from students, as well as create the teacher-student
relationship atmosphere in harmony[3]. Third, the
philosophy of interaction between teachers and students
should be established. Only if teacher and student were
both transformed in conception, could they gain a good
state of mind, to improve interaction and give full play to
teachers as the leading role and to students and subjects,
and to dynamically achieve “teaching and learning benefit
each other”[4].
2) Improve quality of college teachers
Educational
informationization
has
brought
unprecedented challenge to the traditional teacher-student
relationship. To be better adapted to needs of situation
development, college teachers have to take great efforts in
improving their own quality, and make teaching process
as the platform for harmonious teacher-student
relationship construction. First, teachers should have good
moral integrity. In recent years, educational authorities
pay close attention to construction of professional ethics,
contributing to establishment of harmonious teacherstudent relationship. To improve moral traits of college
teachers, it is necessary to demonstrate the spirit of
selfless dedication, view on students with equality and
trust, community spirit of unity and cooperation, strong
sense of responsibility, tough willingness, rigorous
attitude to science, and harmonious sense of humor[5].
Morally qualified teachers are able to educate students
effectively, deal the relationship accurately, and are able
to have easiest access to closeness, trust and
acknowledgement from them. Usually, they become their
examples unconsciously to encourage them in quality
improvement. Second, teachers should be profound in
knowledge. In the process of harmonious teacher-student
relationship construction, the power of teaching is infinite.
Teachers shall be broad and profound in knowledge,
timely master edge knowledge of their own major and
relevant branches and integrate them into their teaching.
Only through this could teachers be strong in appealing,
and the students could be easier convinced, so that their
words and behaviors would be conducted.
Third,
teaching methods need to be constantly updated. The
environment of educational informatinization requests
teachers to integrate time elements into traditional style,
and to reach the objective of improving students’ ability
of problem analysis and resolution. They shall be centered
by students, transfer the teaching mode of negative
acceptance into the one of active exploration, from purely
focusing on textbooks to improve ability of practice,
integrate the method of inspiration and discussion into the
whole process of teaching, and finally foster students into
useful people for social development. Teachers also need
to make full use of internet, to achieve online discussion
with students and answer their questions on line. As for
students, they should actively develop thinking activities
depending on tools e.g. computer, and communicate with
teachers and other students. They should think actively
and participate in teaching practice, be initiative in
exploration and bold in questioning, consult with teachers
when encountered with problems. In the joint research
and exploration, the new type of harmonious and equal
relationship would be developed between them and their
teachers[6].
3) Cultivate college students to respect teachers
In harmonious relationship construction, neither the
teacher nor the student can be dispensed with. On one
hand, teachers function in such construction should be
emphasized; on the other hand, students should be
motivated. After all, construction of harmonious college
teacher-student relationship is just cultivation of qualified
college students. First, students should cultivate their
respect towards teachers. Qualified college students shall
respect, esteem, understand and trust teachers. To show
respect to teachers and attach great importance to
education is one of the traditional Chinese virtues, as well
as basic code of conduct of modern college students[7].
Students ignorant of respecting or appreciating teachers
are short of traits that college students have to be
possessed, and do not meet basic moral requirements as
college students. Students should respect teachers and
their character and labor, and learn to be tolerant. If
teachers and students could mutually be better
understood, trusted, tolerant, considerate and positive,
misunderstandings and barriers between them could be
eliminated much easier[8]. The core of successful teaching
and learning lies in the relationship between teacher and
student. Since association is the elementary condition and
channel for construction of this harmonious relationship,
modern college students need to enhance their
consciousness of initiatively communicating with
teachers. They shall believe that teachers really care about
them and play an important role in their life and study.
Communication between teacher and student not only
benefits students intellectually and academically, but casts
great influence on their outlook on life and value as well
as on attitude about how to get along with people. During
this discussion and communication, students could
acquire more knowledge beyond class and textbooks,
learn about teachers’ rigorous scholarship and scientific
thinking, and even assist them in educational affairs, so as
to further improve mutual understanding and friendship.
4) Expand time and space for communication
between college teachers and students
Harmonious
teacher-student
relationship
is
established in activities and association, which has laid
down foundation for perfect relationship between them.
First, teachers and students should communicate with
each other more frequently. To establish such a
harmonious relationship, communication and contact
between teachers and students must be strengthened,
inside and outside classroom. In the classroom, traditional
patterns and methods for teaching and learning have to be
changed into more flexible and diversified methods.
Mutual communication between teachers and students
should be enhanced. Education inside and outside
classroom should be integrated, with implementation of
various methods, to expand activity field and social
association scope, as well as increase communication
frequency. Second, a channel for communication should
be
constructed.
Practical
and
online
virtual
communication should be combined to establish
stereoscopic association channels combining virtualness
and reality. Realization of Internet breaks through
possible barriers due to practical problems, caters to
students’ pursuit of freedom, democracy and equality, and
really presents humanistic care in college campus[9].
Providing students with more opportunities for
participating in educational reform with online resources
would help thought communication between teachers and
students and building of a broader platform for
harmonious relationship construction. Third, a wonderful
circumstance should be created for communication, which
is the need for harmonious teacher-student relationship[10].
Colleges should build the communication platform for
democratic and equal talks, complete incentive and
supervision mechanism for harmonious teacher-student
relationship construction. They should take efforts to
create harmonious campus environment diversified in
culture, outstanding in academic atmosphere, perfect in
cultivation circumstances and enthusiastic in humanistic
care, so as to improve construction pragmaticality.
Meanwhile, attention shall be paid to informal association
between them. Within such kind of association, since
there is no restriction of teaching and being taught,
communication then would become more casual and
lively, filled with emotions. Through informal
association, teachers could better understand thoughts,
emotions and requirements of students, and could be
active in participating in student activities, so as to
shorten the distance between their thought and mind.
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