From my own experience as a student, I can say that you want to stay on your teacher’s good side. Being on their good side makes your experience in their classroom better overall. 

According to Edtrust.org, a survey of 25,400 sixth to 12th graders in a large, diverse district found that less than a third of middle school students had a strong relationship with their teachers. That number dropped to 16% by the time students reached 12th grade.

Strong relationships with teachers and even school staff can dramatically enhance students’ motivation, therefore promoting learning. Students with access to stronger relationships are more academically engaged, have stronger social skills experience, and exhibit more positive behavior. 

Educators seeking to understand their students’ perspectives are more likely to avoid misunderstandings that harm relationships. When teachers make an intentional effort to get to know their students it can foster in students a sense of belonging and connection to school. 

According to Yeager and Walton, social-psychological specialists, small social-psychological interventions that focus on changing students’ thoughts, feelings, and beliefs in and about school lead to large gains in student engagement and achievement for each and every student.

 At Concordia International School in Shanghai, they believe that deeper learning can be mastered and maintained through effective teachers. Good teachers impact students’ success by investing effort in getting to know them and learning how to work with them to strengthen their connection to the subject matter and their overall learning. 

Research done by Concordia International School in Shanghai says the average student who has a teacher at the 85th percentile can expect annual achievement gains that are 0.22 standard deviations greater than the average student with a median teacher. 

In my own experience, I have had great and bad teachers throughout my life. I can tell you personally that I feel 100 times more comfortable in a good teacher’s classroom. I feel more motivated to participate in class and talk with the teacher. I was so uncomfortable in classrooms where I did not like the teacher. I wanted to get out of the classroom as soon as class was over. My relationship with these teachers affected my grades and my willingness to get my work done. 

Having a good relationship with your teachers will benefit you, your grades, and your scale of comfort. It can help when you need help with the work, you will be more willing to ask questions.