Teacher’s Role
Teachers play a significant role in fostering the passion, ideas, and energy that motivates students to become engaged in society. This meaningful and important work happens every day, work that can only be measured by the future strength of our democracy.
A teacher has the ability to change lives because of who they are as human beings, how well they listen, encourage, and inspire children to be active participants in civil society.
In a study college students recalled the powerful influence of educators in their lives. Memories included the elementary and middle school teachers who taught the importance of positive values of cooperation, compassion, teamwork, and getting along with classmates. They recalled simple service projects that made them aware of people in need.
When students reached high school, the values they developed in younger years helped shape their civic identities.
Teachers who tied their curriculum to service activities in the real world helped students gain skills in critical thinking, planning, organizing, and problem-solving. Teens gained most when service projects pushed them out of their comfort zones to see the world differently. Face-to-face encounters with people suffering or were, somehow, different from them were transformative, giving them the internal energy and passion to make their own mark on the world.
Study participants mentioned their high school teachers, instrumental to the committed young adults they became. Overwhelmingly, students admitted that teachers mentored them in ways to develop self-efficacy.
This nurtured self-efficacy? Students said they were supported and encouraged, were listened to, set high expectations and showed interest in them as individuals separate from academics or civic activities. They fostered self-decision-making, and provided another perspective during problem-solving.
Without belief in themselves, students said they would not have the belief that they could change the world.
Society will grade teachers, not only by test scores, but by how our young develop into caring, compassionate, respectful and engaged members of our democracy. When political and corporate leaders understand this, perhaps we will recommit ourselves to the civic mission of schools and further develop the capacity of teachers to foster social change and innovation.
Psychology Today
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