Teacher‐student communication: A descriptive typology of students’ interpersonal experiences with teachers

Teacher‐student relationships are integral to the education process. While researchers have examined teacher perceptions of these relationships, little is known about student attitudes. Further, very little recent instructional communication research has addressed elementary and secondary students. This study presents the results of a survey administered to 158 students asking them to identify their most positive and negative interpersonal experiences with teachers. Coders transcribed and unitized the responses. Three categories of positive (teacher helping, recognition, enjoyment via activity) and five categories of negative (embarrassment, unjustifiable discipline, unwanted aggression, inappropriate affection, unrealistic expectation) communicative experiences emerged from the analysis. These findings are discussed in relation to the future of the American Public School system.