Internal Models of Attachment and the Teacher-Student Relationship during the Middle School transition: A Phenomenological Study

The transition from an elementary school setting to a complex middle school environment means that both teachers and students are faced with the challenge of developing multiple relationships. The quality of the relationships developed in schools between teachers and students, and the challenges they each face are influenced by internal models of attachment. The problem examined in this study was the presently unknown, internal, relational challenges faced by receiving, middle school teachers created by their internal models of attachment, attachment style, and personal characteristics in their relationship development with students during the transition from elementary to middle school. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to better understand the phenomenon of relational challenges experienced by receiving teachers in the relationship development between teachers and students during the transition from elementary to middle school by exploring the essence of internal models of attachment, attachment style, and personality characteristics of receiving teachers. Specifically, how internal models of attachment can influence relationship development and create relational challenges between teachers and students during the middle school transition as experienced by middle school receiving teachers. Research participants were 15 receiving teachers in middle schools with a 7-9 grade level configuration located in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Results of the study indicate all teachers, despite their internal model of attachment face internal relational challenges in developing relationships with students during the middle school transition and they often feel untrained and unprepared to deal with these challenges. This study shows securely attached teachers are better able to manage their internal conflicts while insecure and young teachers often become overinvested emotionally in their relationship development with students. The results of this study support and provide new perspective on attachment and the teacher-student relationship. Future research should consider a quantitative approach, a longitudinal design, using a different teacher sample across all middle school grades, using a sample from a different middle school configuration, and conducting the research earlier in the school year.