INSPIRING: TRANSITIVE VERB OF TEACHING
Keywords: teacher–student relationship; teaching practices; motivation; school engagement.
This research focuses on understanding the role of teachers in motivating and engaging students in integrated technical high school programs. Arising from the concern with the disinterest of many young people in studying, the study seeks to investigate, from the students’ perspective, how the teacher–student relationship and certain teaching practices contribute to awakening interest in learning and to building longer academic trajectories. An ethnographic approach is adopted as the methodological framework, allowing immersion in the school environment and direct observation of interactions both in the classroom and in other institutional spaces. The procedures include participant observation, document analysis, and the exchange of letters with approximately 50 students enrolled in integrated technical high school courses at a federal institute. Data analysis will be conducted through thematic analysis and triangulation of sources. The study is justified by the need to strengthen pedagogical practices that value human relationships and promote meaningful educational experiences, moving beyond the view of school as merely a space for content transmission. By giving voice to students, the research aims to identify elements that foster academic motivation and to propose pathways for a more engaging education— one that can contribute to school retention and success, support the continuation of studies, and broaden both personal and professional horizons.