Autonomy-supportive relationships between teacher and pupils
Sarah Mercer
University of Graz
Contemporary views of autonomy have moved away from more individualistic views and now stress its social nature. Learners are part of an intricate network of social relationships, which can both hinder and support their autonomy. One of the key relationships is the one between learner and teacher. In this talk, I would like to focus on the nature of teacher-learner rapport and the qualities of an autonomy-supportive relationship. Against the backdrop of specific contextual constraints in and beyond the classroom, we will discuss the balancing acts for teachers between controlling and autonomy-supportive behaviours. We will talk about the characteristics of quality relationships such as trust, empathy, respect, and responsiveness. To conclude, we will reflect on specific strategies that teachers can work with in order to promote such relationships that engender learner autonomy.
Sarah Mercer
University of Graz
Contemporary views of autonomy have moved away from more individualistic views and now stress its social nature. Learners are part of an intricate network of social relationships, which can both hinder and support their autonomy. One of the key relationships is the one between learner and teacher. In this talk, I would like to focus on the nature of teacher-learner rapport and the qualities of an autonomy-supportive relationship. Against the backdrop of specific contextual constraints in and beyond the classroom, we will discuss the balancing acts for teachers between controlling and autonomy-supportive behaviours. We will talk about the characteristics of quality relationships such as trust, empathy, respect, and responsiveness. To conclude, we will reflect on specific strategies that teachers can work with in order to promote such relationships that engender learner autonomy.