Recalling life-changing teachers: Positive memories of teacher-student relationships and the emotions involved

Little empirical research has been done about teacher-student relationships and the emotions involved from the students' perspective. Our research employs narrative approach and addresses such memories of teachers that former students described as having very positive, even life-changing significance for them. We ask what do positive memories of teachers tell us about teacher-student relationships and the emotions involved. The findings illustrate how teachers establish emotional bonds with their students as well as their sensitivity towards the students' life-circumstances and emotions. In addition, teachers' socio-emotional involvement in students' lives is reflected in students' emotions. For teacher education, we argue the need to implement the understanding of the meaning of emotions in teacher-student relationships.