This is a re-post from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20140609082714-324997647/power-in-the-classroom for educational purposes only.
Power in the Classroom
Lecturer, Asia-Pacific International University
Whenever students and teachers come together for the purpose of learning there are certain social dynamics that takes place. Among these dynamics is the role of social power, which is the ability to influence others. French and Raven describe five types of social power. They are expert, referent, legitimate, reward, and coercive power. Understanding how these forms of social power influence the classroom environment is important for teachers as they seek to support and help their students.
1. Expert Power
Expert power is the knowledge and experience a teacher brings with them into the classroom. Teachers with this form of power not only know their "stuff" but also can express it in a way that is clear to the students. In addition, teachers with expert power are comfortable in the classroom and bring energy into the learning environment through their joy of teaching. When students can tell that a you know what you are doing it gives you, as a teacher or a leader in another profession, some authority and right to lead them. If a teacher does not know what they are doing, students may not want to follow them. The point is a teacher must know their stuff, and express it confidently and clearly to their students.
2. Referent Power
Referent power is a measure of how much students like and respect a teacher. This form of power can be developed through being fair and concerned about students. Not only does a teacher need to have expertise but they also must show warmth and care for their students. Examples of relationship building includes providing beneficial feedback, talking with students about matters outside of school, and even having high expectations. This combination of subject knowledge and caring could contribute to academic success. Love and respect are not exclusive concepts but are connected and the combination of these in the classroom is critical for developing power. To summarize, show them that you care and that you want them to succeed.
3. Legitimate Power
A position that natural confers power is called legitimate power. By just being a teacher, a person has a certain amount of authority over their students. However, this form of power does not last long with children. As they become comfortable, the students will begin to test the teacher unless he or she develops other forms of power such as expert and or referent power. There is a saying that goes "familiarity breeds contempt" and this helps to explain the short-term influences of legitimate power. This form of power is useful in the beginning to exert influences but requires support from other sources of power or influence. To put it plainly, your position gives you a temporary amount of power in the beginning but this does not last.
4. Reward Power
Reward power is the ability to provide approval, privileges, or some other form of compensation. Reward power can be connected with operant conditioning in that rewards could be given when the student demonstrates appropriate behavior. When students complete assignments, maybe the teacher gives them a star. When students are quiet, perhaps they get to go outside early. Reward and referent power could be thought of as closely related because rewards can be used to develop relationship. This due to the desire of many people to reciprocate acts of kindness. Most teachers have many forms of reward at their disposable, however, it is also important to remember that if the students do not value the rewards, it means that the teacher cannot use them as a form of power. To make my claim in one sentence, rewards are a form of power that teachers can use to maintain their leadership and authority.
5. Coercive Power
Coercive power is in many ways the opposite of reward power. In this form of power, students are given punishment instead of rewards. Any book on conditioning will indicate that punishment will stop misbehavior for a time but will normally not work in the long run. Students will grow stubborn towards it and could become antagonistic towards the teacher. In addition, punishment reduces referent power mentioned earlier. There are times for punishment but it should be used sparingly. Negative reinforcement (the removal of a stimulus the students do not like) is seen by many as more appropriate than punishment (the application of a stimulus the students dislike).
Of the five types of powers mentioned above referent power may be the most important. Having warm relationships with students who believe that the teacher cares for them. It is much more acceptable to lack expert power and coercive power may not even be needed if students believed they are loved. However, it would be unfair to the students if a teacher did not develop expertise in their field. Rewards through positive feedback can help in establishing referent power. As such, the following model provides a step-by-step process of applying these different forms of power and is one way of many for teachers looking to establish power in the classroom.
- Use legitimate power to begin school.
- Establish expert power through teaching.
- Develop referent power through developing relationships.
- Use reward power to enhance referent power and to avoid using coercive power.
- Use coercive power when necessary but reestablish referent power after punishment
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