A Humanistic Approach to Enhancing Teacher Influence

Abstract

This paper examines the issue of declining teacher influence on students, and investigates a humanistic approach to responding to this change in the context of students' changing modes of learning in China. The paper is the results of an empirical study based in two institutions in Changsha, Hunan Province: Changsha Normal College and Hunan No. 1 Normal College. The study take a two-pronged methodology of survey among college graduates who have been in their professions for more than two years; and of a series of interviews among the faculty members in the above institutions. With the focus of the areas students feel most needed for a successful professional life, we find that psychological maturity is the weakest area, among others, which they hope the students still studying in the colleges to strengthen. We also find from our investigations that, in catering for students' learning needs, a humanistic psychological approach will be effective to augment teachers' influence. The main findings from this approach include humanistic care, teacher initiative, aspiring determination, guidance on deep learning, emotional maturity, and purpose of life.