How to Create Positive Teacher Student Relationships?

Teacher vary in their ability to create positive teacher-student relationships. Some teachers simply have an easier time to developing positive relationships with students-personality ,feelings towards students, their own relationships histories may all play a role . A few personal characteristics of teachers have been identified as important predictors of positive teacher-student relationships in elementary schools. Research has found that preschool and kindergarten teachers are more likely to develop close relationships with students who share their same ethnic background like wise , it was found that Caucasian pre- service teachers working in their 10-weeks field placement sites perceived African American and Hispanic students as more dependent than the same teachers perceived white students. Asian American and Hispanic pre services teachers perceived African American students as more dependent upon them as compare to Asian American or Hispanic students(Kesner,2000). Pre- service teachers who recall their own upbringing as caring and nurturing were also more likely to experience closeness with the students in their field placement classrooms.(Kerner,2000). Teachers' beliefs and the types of practices that teachers prefer appear to also be important. Kindergarten teachers who use fewer didactic and more age- appropriate, student-centered teaching practices reported less conflictual relationships with their kindergarten students ( Manticopoulous, 2005). Much less known is about the teacher characteristics that contribute to positive teacher-student relationships at the middle and high school  level.