The Impact of a Teacher and a Parent in Nurturing a Child’s Mind

By Anna Levy

If you have ever seen snapshots of a child’s physical development from infant to toddler to child, then you are aware of how drastically children change in their early years of life. Just like their physical appearance, a child’s mind also undergoes dramatic changes as they grow older and begin to develop their own thoughts and ideas. This developmental period also encompasses a child’s first years at school, during which his/her brain is extremely malleable and sensitive to new relationships and experiences. Because of this, both parents and teachers play a critical role in shaping a child’s growing mind and helping them navigate the challenges and stepping stones of early life. While all people are predisposed to certain traits or skills based on genetics, we are also largely influenced by our environment and the people in it. This relationship between our genetic predisposition and other external or environmental factors marks an important scientific distinction known as “nature vs nurture.” The concept of nature vs nurture often addresses infants and toddlers, but it applies far beyond infancy as we are constantly shaped by our experiences each and every day, even as we transition into adulthood. Recognizing the value of our early relationships is one of the most important steps towards fostering emotional and social health in the minds of the next generation.

Although our brains continue to grow until our early 20s, the most rapid and foundational brain development occurs in the first eight years of a child’s life. In these eight formational years, factors like nutrition, socialization, and mobilization play a fundamental role in shaping a child’s mind and determining their physicality and personality. The first relationship that a newborn develops is usually with his/her parents--as such, the parent-child relationship is critical in determining how the child develops healthy relationships in the future. When parents decide how to respond to their child’s needs, they are impacting the child’s social and emotional development. For example, if a newborn learns that he will receive attention and reassurance when he cries, then he will develop more trusting and secure relationships. On the contrary, if a newborn cries and cries and his parents never come to help him, then he will learn to be less trusting of others and more insecure in his future relationships. This philosophy of conditioning your child to expect certain outcomes applies not only to their relationships, but also their success in school and disposition to learning. Without proper encouragement and support, children will become frustrated by learning and doubt their own worth and potential. Thus, the positive relationships that a student forms with his teachers and parents are essential to their future success and growth.

Doing well in school often influences the happiness and confidence levels of children, especially in early years when the child is first exposed to concepts like grading and self-evaluation. One way that parents and teachers can predispose children to academic success is through reading--a skill that encourages literacy, creativity, and socialization. Even just talking to your child throughout their infancy and toddler years encourages a love and exploration of language that will translate to school performance. Ultimately, the decisions of a child’s parents set the foundation of his/her mental development, and positive parent-student relationships help instill confidence and security in young learners. When children make the transition into an academic environment--whether it be preschool or grade school--their teachers become akin to a new, temporary guardian whom they rely on for instruction and guidance as they navigate their new environment. Regardless of the child’s skill or experience levels, the teacher-student relationship will help determine how they approach academics and, subsequently, how their mind develops certain skills and traits; a positive teacher-student relationship may inspire a love of learning and increased confidence, while a negative teacher-student relationship could result in a disdain of learning and related insecurities. If you’ve ever had an amazing teacher that you can still remember to this day, then you are familiar with the drastic impact that a teacher can have on a child’s life, and even their larger academic and emotional development. A powerful teacher-student relationship is not simply an amicable interaction between an adult and a child, but a mentorship and a bond that encourages students to explore their interests and recognize their worth. In fact, positive teacher-student relationships have been found to impact every single aspect of a child’s academic development, from grades to socialization to future success, across all family and individual backgrounds.

Although parents and teachers play different roles in a child’s life--roles that vary amongst each child and each family--both parent-child and teacher-child relationships are critical in nurturing the development of a young person’s blossoming mind. While adult authority figures may seem scary or intimidating to a young child, forming positive bonds with these important adults teaches the child to recognize his/her value in the larger world and to create goals for the future. Parents and teachers often become the most important and substantial role models for children, and the impacts that they have on the happiness and well-being of young learners will carry with those students for their entire lives.

Sources:

• https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2019/03/13/why-teacher-student-relationships-matter.html

• https://www.evidencebasedteaching.org.au/crash-course-evidence-based-teaching/teacher-student-relationships/

• https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/childdevelopment/early-brain-development.html

• https://www.zerotothree.org/resources/series/healthy-minds-nurturing-your-child-s-development

• https://www.biculturalmama.com/2017/05/nurture-childs-growing-brain.html