In this study, the researcher examined the direct and indirect effects of student-teacher relationship, students' social skills, and behavioral orientation on students' academic competency in Turkish first-grade educational settings. For most Turkish children, the entry into first grade is their first formal schooling experience. Understanding how children negotiate this new experience and documenting the relationships that they build with teachers is crucial, considering that early teacher-child relationships have important long term implications for children's school success. The findings suggest that supportive teacher student relationships have a prominent impact on the development of academic and social competency. The implications for early childhood education and research are discussed.