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The quality of teacher–student relationships is important for teachers' well-being in schools. In this interview study we investigated which cognitions comprise secondary school teachers' self- and student schema in positive and problematic teacher–student relationships. Frequency analyses of these cognitions showed that especially student schema differed in teachers' talk of positive and problematic relationships. When combining cognitions of the self- and student schema, a HOMALS analysis revealed two types of positive and two types of problematic relationships. Differences between novices and experienced teachers were apparent for positive relationships. These findings raise questions about teachers' attributions for the quality of teacher–student relationships.

Teacher–student relationships develop from real-time teacher–student interactions. These real-time interactions can be characterized by interpersonal content, structure, and complementarity. We studied how teacher–student interactions measured in terms of these characteristics differed for two teachers with distinct teacher–student relationships. A computer joystick device enabled us to measure teacher and student interpersonal behavior as a two-dimensional construct, a blend of Agency and Communion. Our results indicated that interpersonal content and complementarity discriminated between teachers, and that interpersonal structure did not. Measuring these characteristics seems promising to understand differences in teacher–student relationships.

We studied the development of teacher-student relationships and teachers' job satisfaction throughout the careers of four veteran teachers who retained high job satisfaction. Teacher data gathered with the narrative-biographical method were compared with students' perceptions of the teacher-student relationships, using the Questionnaire on Teacher Interaction. Teachers' job satisfaction appeared positively related to the self-reported quality of the teacher-student relationships. Positive retrospective teacher perceptions did not always coincide with positive student perceptions. It appeared that teachers may have positive job satisfaction despite, in the eyes of the students, a poor teacher-student relationship. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.

Students in many teacher education programmes experience confusion about portfolios. This study investigated whether using an analogy in the introduction of a portfolio helps teacher education students understand both the purpose of a portfolio and how to compile it. It was also investigated whether these students' understanding correlates with their appreciation of portfolios. In the analogy, portfolios were compared with job application letters, curricula vitae and the references that are common in selection procedures for new employees. This analogy was helpful in promoting students' understanding. Their understanding correlated with their appreciation of this instrument. © 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.