Students come to school everyday to sit at desks for hours while expected to be learning proactively. Sometimes teachers have different strategies to go about their days with their students, whether it’s just saying hi in the hall as they pass by, or asking them about a hobby that particular student has or does. Over the course of the four years students experience, it can be easy to find a teacher they can relate to.
Student-teacher relationships can be important while going through high school. Teachers understand that Grosse Pointe South can be challenging at times, so connecting with a teacher about their struggles whether it’s in that topic or not can be convenient. Counselor Troy Glasser believes that these relationships can ultimately lead to better engagement.
“A student that is happy in feeling, they feel like they are engaged,” Glasser said. “They’re going to be more comfortable in that class and learn at a higher level. I do feel like even though a student might not have the greatest relationship with a teacher, all they need is respect for them in order to succeed.”
South student Vivi Cilano ’26 has built relationships with a few teachers throughout her four years here at South. She talks about how those connections have helped her through certain times.
“All teachers here at South are great,” Cilano said. “I have been taking Italian for multiple years so I have had the same teacher each year. We have gotten to know each other and I will update him on what has been happening in my life from time to time.”
Having the same teacher or student for multiple years can help with getting to know each other. Math teacher Kristie Philiben also agrees with this as she teaches leveled classes.
“I teach pre-calc and calc, so I have those students for two years,” Philiben said. “It is really great to see them grow in those two years, and I would say my relationship between the students and I is good. I hope they would say the same.”
Creating this relationship with students and teachers can be very meaningful in the long run. Although they only see each other for short amounts of time in the day, these relationships teach lessons and can give guidance. Philiben believes that throughout her years at South her students have taught her many things.
“I think the biggest thing that my students have taught me is patience,” Philiben said. “I understand that people have things going on in life and need more help with certain things, but I want students to understand that teachers are human too and make mistakes too.”
