How Teachers Behave in School Predicts Life Success Above and Beyond Family Background, Broad Traits, and Cognitive Ability
Volume 2 Issue 1 ( January - March ) 2024 OPEN ACCESS
Teacher behavior, life success, cognitive ability, personality traits, family background, educational outcomes.
This study investigates how teachers' behaviors in the classroom predict life success outcomes in adulthood, beyond the influence of family background, broad personality traits, and cognitive ability. Previous research has shown that both family environment and individual traits significantly affect later-life success, yet limited work has focused on the influence of teachers. We utilized longitudinal data from a large, nationally representative sample of children who were followed from childhood to adulthood. Our analysis reveals that teacher behaviors, including warmth, high expectations, and engagement, significantly predicted adult success in terms of income, educational attainment, and psychological well-being, even when controlling for family background, broad personality traits, and cognitive ability. These findings highlight the lasting impact of teachers’ behaviors on life outcomes, suggesting that educational interventions focusing on teacher-student interactions may have long-term benefits for student success.