The purpose with this study was to examine from a relational perspective what qualities and abilities students reason about as important in teachers and what students reason about the student-teacher relationship in school and what significance it can have for students learning and personal development. How students reason about their experiences constitutes the empirical material of the study. Which was done with the research method focus group discussions, where the purpose was to see the students collective and common experiences.

The theoretical starting point in the study was based on relational pedagogy, which is partly about how it is used in practice and how the teaching rests on a relationship foundation with human encounters between students and teachers, where communication and presence in these relationships enables a process and development of skills and abilities. 

A comprehensive result for the study was that knowledge and relationships cannot be excluded from each other, both parts interact and nourish each other. Students absorb, develop knowledge and at the same time grows as humans through and in meaningful pedagogical relationships together with classmates and teachers. The results also showed that humor was a quality that students emphasized as important in teaching. Humor contributed to a more relaxed classroom climate and a relaxed relationship between student-teacher. Teachers' approach to using humor in teaching made students more comfortable in themselves but also more comfortable in the student-teacher relationship.