12 July 2011 | Jantine L. Spilt · Helma M. Y. Koomen · Jochem T. Thijs
The article "Teacher Wellbeing: The Importance of Teacher–Student Relationships" by Jantine L. Spilt, Helma M. Y. Koomen, and Jochem T. Thijs explores the impact of teacher–student relationships on teacher wellbeing. The authors argue that while many studies have examined the importance of these relationships for children's development, less is known about how they affect teachers' professional and personal lives. Using the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping by Lazarus (1991), the authors suggest that teachers have a basic need for relatedness with their students, which influences their emotional responses and long-term wellbeing. The review discusses how teachers internalize experiences with students into mental representational models that guide their interactions and affect their self-esteem. It also highlights the role of mental representations in understanding how student misbehavior affects teacher stress. The authors propose a hypothetical model to explain the interrelations between teacher–student relationships, mental representations, and teacher wellbeing, suggesting that these relationships can mediate or moderate the effects of perceived student behavior on teacher stress and burnout. The review concludes by calling for more research to directly test these propositions and suggests future directions for study.The article "Teacher Wellbeing: The Importance of Teacher–Student Relationships" by Jantine L. Spilt, Helma M. Y. Koomen, and Jochem T. Thijs explores the impact of teacher–student relationships on teacher wellbeing. The authors argue that while many studies have examined the importance of these relationships for children's development, less is known about how they affect teachers' professional and personal lives. Using the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping by Lazarus (1991), the authors suggest that teachers have a basic need for relatedness with their students, which influences their emotional responses and long-term wellbeing. The review discusses how teachers internalize experiences with students into mental representational models that guide their interactions and affect their self-esteem. It also highlights the role of mental representations in understanding how student misbehavior affects teacher stress. The authors propose a hypothetical model to explain the interrelations between teacher–student relationships, mental representations, and teacher wellbeing, suggesting that these relationships can mediate or moderate the effects of perceived student behavior on teacher stress and burnout. The review concludes by calling for more research to directly test these propositions and suggests future directions for study.