Date
8-20-2026
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD)
Chair
Sharon E. Farrell
Keywords
community school, teacher-student relationships, middle school, basic psychological needs theory, BPNT, autonomy, competence, relatedness
Disciplines
Curriculum and Instruction | Education
Recommended Citation
Gill, Michele Lyn, "Teacher-Student Relationships in Maryland Community Schools: An Embedded Multiple-Case Study" (2026). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 8836.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/8836
Abstract
The purpose of this embedded multiple-case study was to describe how middle school teachers in two community schools in a large western Maryland district fostered and sustained positive relationships with their students. The theory guiding this study was Ryan and Deci’s basic psychological needs theory (BPNT), a sub-theory of self-determination theory. Through BPNT, Ryan and Deci claim that relatedness, autonomy, and competence are the three required ingredients for motivation. Teachers can provide or withhold those basic psychological needs, uniquely positioning them to impact student motivation through their relationships with students. Positive teacher-student relationships are central to student and school success; however, the community school strategy often focuses on wrap-around services without acknowledging the crucial role of teachers in this equation. The central research question was: How do middle school teachers at community schools foster and sustain positive relationships with their students? This study examined middle school teacher-student relationships in two western Maryland community schools. Using stratified, purposeful, and snowball sampling, 11 teachers were selected as participants. Individual interviews, observations, and document analysis provided data that were analyzed thematically within each case, followed by cross-case analysis to identify patterns and themes across the two sites. The results indicated that teacher-student relationships in community schools are actively constructed through daily practices that support students’ needs for belonging, autonomy, and competence, within a broader system of structural supports that sustain these relationships.
