Absence of aggressive and violent defining characteristics in the descriptions of successful and ideal teachers

Abstract

Violence in the educational system arises not only from peer relations, but also from the relationship between students and teachers. Teachers who are aggressive towards their students (e.g. who are rough, cold, who yell, insult, ridicule, discriminate, favorize, underestimate, exclude, gossip or spread fear), actually demonstrate aggressive or violent behavior directed against the current and long-term well-being of students. The aim of this study was to examine the incidence of teachers’ aggressive behaviors in describing and defi ning characteristics of both successful/ideal teachers and unsuccessful/aggressive teachers. The participants were students of pedagogical-psychological and didactic-methodical training of teachers in Osijek, Slavonski Brod and Koprivnica (N = 119), and third year students of Teacher Studies in Slavonski Brod (N = 41). Participants were asked to recall three good, successful or ‘ideal’ teachers from their previous education as well as to think of three teachers of poor quality they previously had. With an overall frequency of 1120 positive descriptions, 145 unique positive defining characteristics were found. Out of overall frequency of 770 negative descriptions, 174 unique negative defining characteristics were found. Two frames of data analysis were used: a) consensually agreed upon thematic areas of teacher defining characteristics (methodical performance or teaching competence, intelligence and creativity, character and morality, and emotional competence), and b) Croatian bipolar markers of a five-factor model of personality. The results demonstrated an absence of aggressive or violent behaviors in the descriptions of ideal teachers, and the presence of aggressive behaviors in unsuccessful teachers of poor quality. The results were interpreted in accordance with professional requirements and conformity of personality constellation of teachers (friendly and open, methodically and emotionally competent, and moral) with methodical performance or teaching competence and an optimal achievement of educational objectives, as well as the protection of the students.