A typical teacher is a figure of authority. In an iconic book titled the Teacher’s Influence, Samuel Muriuki points out five forms of teachers’ authority: legitimate, charismatic, expert authority, reward and coercive. One glad day, when muses visit, the penman will write right about the other two authorities: moral and spiritual.
- Legitimate Authority
Teachers exercise legitimate authority due to their position, or jurisdiction. It can also be due to the right of command, the fact that the teacher is in that position, legitimate authority evinces itself. Unlike the other forms of teacher authority, legitimate or legal authority is not cultivated.
- Expert Authority
This is a type of authority springs from the teacher’s expertise and experience. This authority is an influence over opinions, ideas, insights, information; substantiated by recognised definite and specialised knowledge. In the case of preceptors, expertise refers to subject matter, knowledge, pedagogy and methodology. Expert authority entails high level of knowledge and skills the teacher wields as well as the ability to impart learners with requisite knowledge, beliefs, attitudes and skills.
Teachers can boost their expert authority by having the marvellous mastery of the cogent content presented in their areas of specialisation. They can go back to school, attend seminars and workshops. They can confer with their contemporaries in order to fine-tune what they know. They can read books widely and wildly. Teachers who become generators of viable ideas and bright-eyed insights in their spheres of influence, also command expert authority.
- Reward Authority
Everyone enjoys receiving rewards, awards and good gifts. Giving of gifts is one of the 5 Love Languages, as perfectly brought out in Garry Chapman’s beautiful book. Other love languages include words of affirmation, giving gifts, quality time, acts of service and physical touch. People good at dishing out gifts understand the language of love. Whoever can reward, appreciate and approve people wins their hearts and minds with a lot of ease. It is always the heart first. For both Oriental and Occidental knowledge would acknowledge: to lead yourself, use your head, but to lead others, use your heart.
People in lofty levels of leadership (positions of power and authority) can purpose to give rewards and awards to their subjects. In a school set up, teachers have the power to reward students in umpteen ways. They can use some effective rewards such as acknowledging good grades, giving special responsibilities, focusing on positive forms of reinforcement, being prone to privileges and praise, recognitions, encouragements, edifications, and anything else that can be taken for granted that students ravenously desire that can be given as a form of extrinsic motivation. Students should feel valued and treasured by teachers. This is one of the best ways to leg up their intrinsic motivation.
- Charismatic Authority
The teacher expresses charismatic authority when s/he shows respect and affection towards learners. In a heroic book titled Be a People Person, Dr. John C. Maxwell postulates that CHARISMA stands for — Concern, Help, Action, Results, Influence, Sensitivity, Motivation and Affirmation. Concern focuses on the ability to show that you care. A charismatic teacher is conscious of the wise words of Theodore Roosevelt, “People do not care how much you know until they know how much you care.” Help focuses on the ability to reach out. Teachers should possess the gift of grace. Why? Because the Greek word the word ‘gift’ is ‘charisma’ — meaning the ‘gift of grace’. Action is all about the ability to make things happen. In the distant past, when Evangelist John Wesley was asked why people seemed to be attracted to him, he answered, “Well, you see, when you set yourself on fire, people just like to come and see you burn.”
Results focuses on the ability to produce. Teachers who have a puissant impact on learners never confuse activity with productivity while holed up in the school environment. Influence means the ability to lead. Teachers are lifters, ladders and leaders to students. Leadership is influence. Nothing less. Nothing more. Sensitivity is leans on the ability to feel and respond. With basic counselling training, Introduction to Psychology and Education Psychology, teachers should wield basic helping skills like empathy, Unconditional Positive Regard (UPR), active listening, reflection of feelings, self-disclosure, symbolic nourishment, and many more. Motivation means that teachers are able to dole out hope and help. Ability to foster hope, in the years of yore, is what made men of God great and glorious. They became beacons of light and hope to plenty of people.
Isaiah talked of God doing a new thing (Isaiah 43:18-19). Jeremiah talked of God having good plans for us (Jeremiah 29:11). John — the revelator — talked of a new heaven and new earth (Revelation 21). Jesus, rabbi — a great teacher ― talked of being born again (John 3). Affirmation is the ability to build up.
William Arthur Ward talked about four types of teachers: A mediocre teacher tells. A good teacher explains. A superior teacher demonstrates. But a great teacher inspires. “Without inspiration”, said Johann Gottfried Von Herder, “the best powers of the mind remain dormant: there is a fuel in us ignited with sparks.” Therefore, charismatic authority evinces itself through teacher’s exceptional personal quality (personality) and ability to inspire loyalty and obedience from the students. A charismatic teacher induces students and pupils to form emotional attachments. In a broader sense, teachers that are likeable, pleasant, pleasing, charming, fond, or funny; find it easy to assert charismatic authority. Over and above, tutors can develop this type of authority only if they manage to establish steadfast rapport with students: knowing them well. Establishing cordial relationships with them is of great essence. Investing in students is not an exercise in futility. In some sense, when teachers make deposits in the ‘emotional bank accounts’ of students, they can make withdrawals as opportunities to influence acceptable behaviour.
- Coercive Authority
In this type of authority, teachers use of disincentives, punishments, or negative reinforcement to mould the desired type of behaviour. Teachers have in their power the right to use disincentives, withhold privileges, give out stern warnings, point out dire consequences, or issue punishments to students. By doing this, tutors exercise their coercive authority. Coercive authority implies that students have refused to follow rules and regulations. Then, woe betides them; they face the music. No student should go scot-free after contravening the raft of school rules. No matter how much of the other forms of authority a teacher wields, without some modicum of coercive authority, it is likely that some impertinent or impudent student will take advantage of their freedom to cross lines without the concern of boundaries. Albeit, as teachers assert coercive authority, they should desist from being prone to ineffective coercive authority like shame, guilt, personal attacks, embarrassment, harassment, witch-hunt, withdrawal of affection and public humiliation. Teachers should praise in public, but criticise in private. Love to glorify, but loathe vilifying.
By Victor Ochieng’
The writer facilitates Principals’ conferences, teachers’ capacity building and bonding sessions.
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