Developmental Signatures - Waldorf Research Institute

Beloved Authority Figure
The children not only need but also seek out a learning environment that
offers a positive class atmosphere. This finds clear expression in their adoration
of the classroom teacher; they seek her personal affection and long for her
acknowledgement. Another indication of this is the frequent observation that the
children will do their homework less for their own sakes, but more and especially
for the teacher’s sake, whose reaction they anticipate with excitement. This may
continue for several years if the teacher is indeed beloved. No teacher can elevate
herself into having authority over the students. The students themselves are the
ones who make her into an authority by giving her the gift of their respect and
affection. A teacher can win this gift only by meeting the students with a rich
measure of interest, openness and enthusiasm. Students want to be seen, want to
be understood; for that, a teacher needs to offer more than a well-structured way
of teaching—human qualities are in demand here.
But the teacher must also offer didactic skill and in-depth knowledge of the
material so that she can guide them towards gaining new skills or entering new
fields of knowledge. Indeed, students will trust the guidance of a person when
they recognize her as a “master teacher.”