Most mainstream school systems recognize the importance of teachers in molding children’s attitudes. In Singapore, the Ministry of Education explicitly states that the role of a teacher is to “equip students with essential skills and sound values to prepare them for life.” That being said, a teacher’s influence on children extends beyond the values promoted explicitly by a school system.
Children learn behaviors by imitating others in a process called modeling. However, children can usually weigh which behaviors should be followed based on a person’s authority, the emotional responses they elicit, and how much they trust them.
After their parents, siblings, and peers, children are most likely to adopt different values and behaviors from their teachers. When a teacher gives an opinion, a child will likely give it weight. If a teacher acts a certain way, a child will likely think that behavior is okay.
This is hardly surprising because most children’s educational experiences are molded and directed by teachers. Children may likely take behavioral cues from peers.
However, teachers are responsible for managing classroom environments and possess higher authority than students in school settings, making them more influential than their peers. This means that children inevitably pick up many outside-world ideas from their teachers.
Below are some values and behaviors children may pick up from teachers.
1. Proaction
Because they are designed to serve a specific country’s goals, only some mainstream school systems prioritize teaching proactive behavior. Instead, they are usually designed to mold students into the type of citizens their country needs.
As a result, teachers are likely to refrain from emphasizing or showing much proaction themselves in classroom environments. The alleged de-emphasis on proaction has been partly blamed for why children lag behind others regarding creativity and imagination.
This is usually less common in International Baccalaureate (IB) schools such as Stamford American International School Singapore. IB schools offer an approach that encourages students to find answers to their questions, encouraging proactive behavior.
This approach has also been associated with better creativity and curiosity in students, possibly because students in these alternative schools feel freer to pursue their interests.
2. Socio-Emotional Skills
Socio-emotional skills such as managing emotions and resolving conflicts are critical for teachers in typical classroom settings. How a teacher acts when faced with inter-relational friction can encourage similar behaviors in children.
For instance, a teacher that regularly fails to control their emotions during difficult situations may influence children to think that uncontrolled emotional outbursts are okay. Similarly, a teacher that exhibits positive behavior during difficult times may also influence children to handle their emotions constructively.
3. Fairness
Children who see authority figures like parents and teachers regularly acting unfairly may develop a warped moral compass, thinking that treating others unjustly is fine. Over time, children who frequently witness such behavior may fail to intervene in situations where they witness unfairness.
If teachers consistently show unfair behavior, a child may rightly feel that they lack agency within their school, leading to mental and emotional problems later in life. For this reason, parents should choose educational institutions with a reputation for handling difficult situations fairly.
4. Empathy
Children who witness authority figures considering other people’s emotions will likely do the same over time. When they see adults willing to hear out others instead of shutting them down, they will understand that empathy and listening should be prioritized when interacting with others.
Thus, children exposed to empathetic teachers and authority figures may become more likely to consider other people’s feelings and viewpoints, becoming more empathetic.
5. Prosociality
Related to the previous point, children who see teachers practice empathy may become more prosocial, engaging in behaviors that primarily benefit others. Empathy often leads to compassion which, in turn, encourages children to act less selfishly.
Over time, children may enjoy prosocial activities, developing positive attitudes toward others. Teachers encouraging selfish behavior are likely to normalize the same in their students.
Final Words
Ensuring children’s future success often comes down to teaching a set of values. This requires parents to be aware of behavioral modeling as a phenomenon and how various individuals and institutions shape children’s mindsets.
Children are impressionable and will invariably model behavior exhibited by authority figures like their teachers. In turn, a school’s pedagogical methods and policies influence which teachers are hired, the behaviors teachers exhibit, and how teachers manage students’ educational experiences in a classroom setting.
Teachers’ strong influence over students’ behavior makes it essential for parents to choose their children’s schools carefully. Schools that are sensitive to how children adopt different behaviors may be better for parents who want to ensure their children achieve lasting success later in life.
Fortunately, the broader availability of educational options in Singapore makes it possible for parents to be proactive in shaping their children’s behavior. This will help them build a positive temperament even though they may not be in the classroom with them. Here’s how stepdads can help their stepkids succeed in school.
