Nurturing teacher-child relationships
Flexible activity
The activity of nurturing teacher-child relationships involves the teacher consciously building a trusting, warm and supportive relationship with students.
How can it be implemented?
This relationship can be implemented at any opportunity teachers have to interact with their students: in the classroom, playground, or when speaking to students one-on-one or in a group setting.
Who is the target group?
This flexible activity has two target groups: the students of the teachers; and the students’ teachers.
What programs conduct this activity?
Roots of Resilience: This professional development program trains teachers to identify microsocial moments in which they can engage in supportive “serve and return” interactions with students, creating a safe space for the students.
What else should I consider?
Consideration should be given to the sustainability of ongoing teacher-student relationship maintenance, including identifying “microsocial moments” with students in light of the busyness that characterises most classrooms. Children who do not readily engage with school or learning might not appreciate teachers’ attempts to nurture a classroom relationship.
Further resources
- Lipscomb, S. T., Hatfield, B., Goka-Dubose, E., Lewis, H. and Fisher, P. A. 2021. Impacts of Roots of Resilience professional development for early childhood teachers on Young children’s protective factors. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 56, 1-14.
Last updated:
24 Feb 2023
We acknowledge Aboriginal people as the First Nations Peoples of NSW and pay our respects to Elders past, present, and future.
Informed by lessons of the past, Department of Communities and Justice is improving how we work with Aboriginal people and communities. We listen and learn from the knowledge, strength and resilience of Stolen Generations Survivors, Aboriginal Elders and Aboriginal communities.
You can access our apology to the Stolen Generations.