The importance of relationships for students' school situation : A qualitative study of how people in school-leading positions view the relational work in the school

The study presents how school leaders think about relational work within the school (teacher-student), that is, interpersonal meetings in the school and what significance they think they have for students' schooling. The focus is on the relationship between teacher and pupil and on the social climate, where attitudes and approaches that permeate the business is in focus. We have also investigated the principal's responsibilities and the views of pupils with school difficulties. Topics that are raised in connection are attitudes and thoughts about individual and general accommodations and what significance socio-economic background can have for the student's school situation. The study is qualitative with interview as method. The study involved 5 school leaders who are all educated and have worked a long time whithin the schoolsystem. As a theoretical starting point, we have been partly inspired by Bronfennbrenner's (1979) ecological systems theory is about how different people and things in the student's microsystem affect their development. We have been inspired by a phenomenographic approach in interpreting the results to explain and analyze the thoughts and opinions that are the same and different. The results of the interviews indicate that relational work within the school (teacher-student) is considered to be important for student' schooling, but that there are factors that sometimes make this work more difficult. Some difficulties described are the teachers' workload and inexperienced or untrained teachers. Furthermore, the interviewees see that there is a great responsibility of the principals and how they lead the school both organizationally and by creating a school culture and a good social climate. The interviewees also describe that teaching outside the classroom can sometimes be needed, but it must not be a permanent solution. After the results we discuss the thoughts and experiences that emerged in the interviews through the previous research is presented. The conclusion is that more collaboration is needed between different professions within the school but also with other authorities. The workload of teachers and principals needs to strike a balance so that relational work within the school (teacher-student) can take as much space as the work towards knowledge acquisition. Also, the we need educated teachers who can do this