The Value of Teacher-Student Relationships: A Narrative Analysis of Teacher Evaluations in Washington State

Abstract

National and state initiatives to improve student academic outcomes in K-12 public schools have included efforts to reform teacher evaluation policies and practices. Prior research into teacher evaluation systems raises questions about how to accurately measure effective teaching practices. This study takes up these questions and uses Nel Noddings’ (2005) concept of an “ethic of care” to identify the limitations of a variety of metrics used in research on teacher-student relationships. This study examines the three instructional frameworks used in Washington State through the lens of narrative analysis and finds that the language addressing teacher-student relationships neglects the unique context of individual classrooms and presents the teacher-student relationship as one of managing classroom procedures and student behavior. This study argues that without explicitly incorporating teacher-student relationships into these policies and frameworks, not only is this aspect of effective teaching left to individual interpretation, but teacher evaluation systems neglect the vital role that teachers play in supporting students’ social, emotional, and academic growth.