The transition to secondary education is a major step for many young people. Young people increasingly attach importance to what their peers do, think, or believe. Popularity also plays an increasingly important role: many young people want others to look up to them and give them attention, but above all, they do not want to be unpopular.
Popular young people set a norm
Research shows that popular young people have a clear impact on the class. The behavior of popular young people becomes a norm and is seen as attractive. This can be concerning when it involves negative behavior, such as gossiping or bullying, but positive when it involves desirable behavior, such as empathy or other helpful character traits.
According to the researchers, this is precisely the key to being able to address socially unsafe classes. Popular young people also have many positive qualities and talents. When they display desirable behavior, they can be positive role models for others.
The teacher’s role
The teacher’s role shifts; instead of explaining what desirable behavior looks like, the teacher takes on a more coaching role and guides students in how they can be role models for others. The teacher shows that positive and socially responsible behavior can also earn you a (higher) status within the group, rather than achieving status only through negative behavior.
Change-makers
A crucial point is that young people are engaged as ‘change-makers’. If young people feel that they themselves own a positive approach at school and have influence over it, they will be much more strongly motivated to make a difference.
Read more
Would you like to know more about this research or about how you can get started with it? Then click through to this more detailed article: Popular young people set the norm in secondary education. This article was written by researchers Lydia Laninga and Geertjan Overbeek in collaboration with Stichting School & Veiligheid.