It’s a common occurrence in the classroom to see students talk to their teacher and develop a friendship, often discussing their day and asking for personal advice. This helps fill the classroom environment  with a more social tone, allowing students to know that their classroom will be more exciting than other classes. However, the question arises whether students are able to perform better in these classes or if making the classroom a social environment inhibits learning. 

From a Lincoln High student survey conducted, a majority of LHS students said social classes actually helped them do better. The added help alongside wishing to not disappoint their teacher helps motivate students to push them to do better in the class.  Classes which they found boring and simply were taught to learn and work on their own, led to them not trying at all. On the other hand a minority of students agreed that working on their own helps them complete assignments compared to classes where they have a better relationship with their teacher. However, the majority of students benefit greatly from having a good relationship with one of their teachers. 

This aligns with the University of California at Berkeley, which is a college known for their excellence and ideology.  According to UC Berkeley’s website they state that, “The core of education is the relationship between the teacher and the student, and the extent to which that relationship nurtures the longing of the child to matter in the world, and the longing of the teacher to nurture and fulfill that desire.”