Building Positive Teacher-Child Relationships

Positive teacher-child relationships are important because:

They influence a child’s emotional, cognitive, and social development
They help children develop secure relationships with other adults
They help children develop good peer relationships
They help reduce the frequency of behavior problems (e.g., tantrums)
They help children develop positive self-esteem
They can result in higher rates of child engagement

When interacting with young children, remember to:

Engage in one-to-one, face-to-face interactions
Get on the child’s level for face-to face interactions
Use a pleasant, calm voice and simple language while making eye contact
Provide warm, responsive physical contact
Follow the child’s lead and interest during play
Help children understand classroom expectations
Redirect children when they engage in challenging behavior
Listen to children and encourage them to listen to others
Acknowledge children for their accomplishments and effort

Positive teacher-child relationships include:

Consideration of the individual needs and interaction styles of young children
Consideration of the children’s and families’ cultural, linguistic, and ethnic backgrounds

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This material was developed by the Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning with federal funds from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (Cooperative Agreement N. PHS 90YD0119). The contents of this publication do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, nor does mention of trade names, commercial projects, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. You may reproduce this material for training and information purposes.

We welcome your feedback on this What Works Brief. Please go to the CSEFEL Web site (http://csefel.uiuc.edu) or call us at (217) 333-4123 to offer suggestions.