Schools and Teachers: Influences That Matter

Abstract

Young people want to learn, and perceive school as a site of both academic and personal growth. In order to enable this, schools must be safe places that meet students’ physical, mental, social and cultural needs. Cultivating a positive school climate that supports the holistic growth of individuals will, in turn, promote academic learning and achievement. Students want their school to be friendly, future-focused and fun, with a variety and abundance of academic and extracurricular opportunities. Importantly, school should be a safe place, meaning an absence of bullying or having a proactive approach to addressing and dealing with bullying. Rangatahi aspire to be good people and to surround themselves with good people. Their interpersonal relationships with both students and teachers are paramount to positive school experiences. A ‘good’ teacher is key to this – in the words of young people, this means a teacher who is skilled and passionate about teaching and their subject, achieves the right balance between control and respect, and is kind, caring, fair and supportive of all students.