The Importance of Developing Attitudes

Of all the areas of learning the most important is the development of attitudes.

Emotional reactions as well as logical thought processes affect the behavior of most people.
“The burnt child fears the fire” is one instance; another is the rise of figures like Hitler.
Both these examples also point up the fact that attitudes come from experience.
In the one case the experience is direct and impressive, in the other it is indirect and gradual.
The class room teacher in the elementary school is in strategic position to influence attitudes.
This is true partly because children acquire attitudes from those adults whose words they respect.
Another reason why it is true is that pupils often search somewhat deeply into a subject in school that has only been touched upon at home or has possibly never occurred to them before.
To a child who had previously acquired little knowledge of Mexico, his teacher's method of handling such a unit would greatly affect his attitude toward Mexicans.
The teacher can develop proper attitudes through social studies, science matters, the very atmosphere of the classroom, etc.
However, when children come to school with undesirable attitudes, it is unwise to attempt to change their feelings by criticizing them.
The teacher can achieve the proper effect by helping them obtain constructive experience.
To illustrate, first-grade pupils, afraid of policemen will probably change their attitudes after a classroom talk with the neighborhood officer in which he explains how he protects them.
In the same way, a class of older children can develop attitudes through discussion, research and all-day trips.
Finally, a teacher must constantly evaluate his own attitudes, because his influence can be harmful if he has personal prejudices.
This is especially true in respect to controversial issues and questions of which children should be encouraged to reach their own conclusion as result of objective analysis of all the facts.