Relationships between students and teachers can influence academic success and emotional well-being (Košir & Tement, 2014). In 2020, Covid-19 sent shockwaves throughout education, propelling students and teachers into an unfamiliar territory of teaching and learning during a global pandemic. Home-schooling, virtual learning, and blended teaching made many teachers emotionally detached from their students (Dempsey, 2021).
This poster presentation from the 2022 ESAI conference identifies previous research on student voice use. Literature suggests student voice can be a tool that leads to a better understanding of student perspectives, building relationships, and adjusting teaching practices to meet student needs. In addition, an in-progress research study will be discussed. This research aims to develop a viable intervention for increasing engagement in primary maths classrooms. Design-based research has been chosen as an appropriate methodology to identify current issues teachers face and develop solutions. The research aims to explore whether student voice can influence student-teacher relationships and increase engagement positively.