“He Swings On Buildings…That’s Why He’s My Role Model”
Mary Chow Bonneville, Karen
Kozar, Cathy Hussey and Kim Patrick
Vancouver
and Surrey, British Columbia
Roberta Bondar, Gandhi, Moses, Winston Churchill, Emily
Carr, Thomas Edison, Bill Gates, Nelson Mandela, Martin
Luther King Jr., Golda Meir, Hayley Wickenheiser, Mohammed,
Mother Teresa, Nelly McClung, Wayne Gretzky, Joan of
Arc, Marc Garneau, Harry Jerome, Roger Bannister, Amelia
Earhart, Silken Laumann, John Glenn, Rick Hansen, Anne
Frank, Helen Keller, Plato, King Arthur, Terry Fox…
The above
characters, either real or mythological, are examples of
heroes who have influenced not only the citizens of previous
times, but also all who have heard their stories. It is
a consistent human trait to remember the exemplary people
who walked before us and are amongst us today. We learn
from these role models to determine what is right, honourable,
and just in our world. This process of discovery is essential
to the development of contributing citizens of society
(Assibey-Mensah, 1997; Benes & Steinbrink, 1998). According
to Benes and Steinbrink (1998) “analyzing the lives of
mortal heroes sets the stage for powerful discussion about
the basic heroic qualities: sincerity, strength/courage,
insight, principled leadership and, perhaps the most important,
great ability” (paragraph 11). The
potential value of integrating role models into the pedagogy
of the modern classroom is the underpinning of this research.
We all have
role models, those we look up to and want to be like. As
children, we may have wanted to be firefighters, truck
drivers, mothers, or teachers. When we came into contact
with other external influences such as books, television,
movies, or the music industry, our choices may have gravitated
to heroes more fanciful such as Peter Pan, Sailor Moon,
or Britney Spears. Adolescence introduced a variety of
choices as our world expanded. Sports heroes, rock stars,
historical figures, captains of industry, and political
leaders became the new order in potential heroes. According
to French and Pena (1991),
Heroes exert
profound influence on individuals and even entire civilizations.
For children, heroes, with their accompanying myths and
legends, are part of the material from which their dreams
and dramas are derived. Playing out these hero themes is
one of the ways in which children come to understand their
society and their own role within that society (8).
As educators,
the process of how students choose their role models is
of great interest to us. Foremost, knowing who our students
wish to emulate helps to bring us into their world. It
gives us insights into their dreams and desires for the
future. Armed with this knowledge, it becomes possible
to develop curriculum based on student’s interests, thereby
giving students a sense of self-importance and worth. According
to Grumet (1996),”Our relationships to the world are rooted
in our relationships to the people who care for us. Their
interest in us is necessary to our capacity to be interested
in the world that interests them” (19).
Can we guide
our students and assist them with choices that will enable
them to live successfully in our present day society? Can
we expose them to a wider variety of role models gathered
from the past, present, and sources of literature? How
might our own roles as educators influence children’s choices
of role models? However, before we can look at these questions,
we must first ask the obvious, “Who do our children choose
as role models and what are the influencing factors on
that choice?”
Definitions
of Role Models
Our research
group determined that there is not merely one definition
of a role model. Solomon (1997) defines role models as, “People
with whom respondents could identify, and whose achievement,
lifestyles, philosophies, and/or values had a positive
impact on their self-esteem and aspirations in life.” (399).
Whereas Gibson
and Cordova’s (1999) work with male’s and female’s role
models further defines role models as “constructs created
by observers based on the attitudes and values, outcomes
or achievements, or interpersonal or process skills of
single or multiple models with whom the observer seeks
to enhance similarity based on his or her ideals, goals,
and needs” (123).
Zirkel (2002)
defines a role model as a person who students knew, a person
who was the same race and gender, and a person who was
noted by the students as doing something on the student’s
personal list of possible career goals. It was noted that
the students believed a role model was a person they most
wished they could be more like (Zirkel, 2002). This definition
emphasizes race and gender more than do the definitions
of other researchers.
In an article
by Assibey-Mensah (1997), the students in his study felt
a role model was a popular figure in sports or show business.
Anderson and Cavallaro (2002) broaden their understanding
of the definition by examining the child’s social and emotional
development . They write:
As children shape
their behavior and values, they may look to heroes and
role models for guidance. They may identify the role models
they wish to emulate based on possession of certain skills
or attributes. While the child may not want to be exactly
like the person, he or she may see possibilities in that
person (161).
Several articles
use the term heroes and role models interchangeably. For
example, Anderson and Cavallaro (2002) say role models
may be attributed to known people (i.e. parents, teachers),
while “heroes are defined as figures who may be less attainable
or larger than life” (Anderson, 2002, 161). Bromnick and
Swallow (1999) use the terms heroes and role models most
frequently, but also use “mentor” and “admired adults”
in their research. Regardless of which term is used, the
underlying intent is synonymous.
Assibey-Mensah
(1997) states that students need to have a good understanding
of the term, role model, before a study is commenced. We
felt it was pertinent to devise our own definition of a
role model so that our students, ranging from ages five
to fifteen, understood the meaning of the word. Our definition,
which we worded to be child-friendly, is that a role model
is a person someone looks up to, the type of person he
or she wants to be now, and the type of person he or she
wants to become.
We believe
our meaning incorporates several of the definitions we
have found throughout the literature.
Factors
Influencing Children as They Consider Role Models
Four Site
Experiences
The Teacher
Researchers
This research
on which children choose as their role models was undertaken
by four female teacher researchers working in the two largest
urban school districts in the lower mainland of British
Columbia, Canada. Mary is a primary specialist working
in a kindergarten class. Karen is a full time teacher of
a Grade Three class. Catherine is a full time computer
teacher who works with students from kindergarten to Grade
Seven. She worked with a Grade Seven class for two extra
periods a week to conduct this research. Kim is a teacher
of the deaf and hard of hearing and works with students
from kindergarten to Grade Twelve. As an itinerant teacher,
she sees her students on an average of once or twice a
week on a pullout basis.
All of the
students were presented with age appropriate examples of
role models in a variety of mediums. This included discussion,
storybooks, and non-fiction. Age appropriate materials
were chosen to illuminate the diversity of characteristics
that describe role models. Students then completed a worksheet
in which the students named their role model and described
why they chose this person and what are the person’s characteristics.
()
Finally, the
teacher-researcher asked a series of discussion questions,
which allowed the students to talk with a small group of
peers. Their responses were then scripted by the teacher-researcher.
The study
was divided into three segments.
1. Each teacher
developed the concept of a ‘role model’ with her students.
2. Next, the
students completed an activity describing their own role
models and his or her other characteristics. ( & )
3. Finally,
the students met with their teacher-researcher in small
groups and discussed questions pertaining to role models,
the research, and how the students’ age, gender, or culture
might affect their choice of role model.
Due to the
differing developmental stages of our pupils, each teacher
modified the lessons for her student.
We invite
you to visit the different classrooms to see what emerged
during the study.
Implications
Young boys on
the street play a game of pick-up hockey, each one donning
the guise of his favourite player. For those sixty minutes,
with every bang on pass, blistering slap shot, and amazing
save, each player becomes the Gretzky, Hayley Wickenheiser,
and Rocket Richard of their dreams…
We believe
hero worship has been a part of the human psyche since
time began. It is in our nature to look up to others, covet
what they have, to want to be like them. The desire to
imagine ourselves in the roles of imaginary and real heroes
begins in childhood and carries on as we supplant our childhood
heroes with mentors and those we admire. Today, not only
do we have the past from which to choose our heroes; we
have the here and now, the future and that which we find
on television, movies, videos, and Internet.
These experiences
have implications for teachers and the children we see
on a daily basis. We are a part of our students’ lives
and as such are instrumental in their moral development
as well as their academic successes. We can deliver lessons
on the heroic attributes we see as positive, such as: strength,
determination, loyalty, honesty, and kindness (to name
a few). We can examine the lives of people who possess
these characteristics and provide our students with positive
role models after which to pattern their lives. As well,
we can help our children develop higher-level cognitive
skills, such as analyzing, comparing, contrasting, and
evaluating, when examining the lives of potential role
models.
Many programs
in our schools today are based on a reactionary response
to social problems such as bullying, child abuse, the dangers
of smoking, peer pressure, and racism. At times this list
of social ills seems endless. We would like to see a shift
in thinking, which encompasses the rationale for these
programs, but focuses teaching positive and affirmative
lessons as opposed to ones based on deficits and problems
(Luckner & Stewart, 2003). One thought, for example,
would be to incorporate the bully prevention program with
the teaching of positive role models. In our minds they
go hand in hand. We can teach children what to look for
in their heroes enabling them to become heroes to others.
Lehman (1928) (cited in Benes and Steinbrink, 1998) states;
the notion that
everyone has the potential to become a hero should be a
central theme in any classroom discussion on heroes: the
flip side, however, is that most people never rise to the
challenge—or they are incapable of heroic acts, or they
make mediocre choices. (para. 11).
Children need
to understand they have the power to choose their path.
Direct teaching about positive role models “allow students
to recognize heroic people and actions and then to go one
step beyond: to explore their own characters and behaviours
for signs of courage, leadership, and sincerity” (Benes & Steinbrink,
1998, para. 2). Educators should be encouraged to include
lessons on role models in their curriculum. As well, society
has a role in providing positive role models for its children
taken from a wide variety of sources.
A person may
have a multitude of heroes reflecting their diversity or
they may only have one coveted role model. Some role models
will be forgotten over time; others last through the centuries.
They inspire, encourage and at times, devastate. We leave
you with an 8-year-old’s explanation of his role model.
Spiderman is my
role model because he is brave. And he fights bad guys.
I want to be like him because he is friendly. He is a
happy person to me. And he is really kind to people.
And he is smart so bad guys can’t find him. And Spiderman
is really cool. He is a good friend to people and a good
person to people and he is nice. He swings on buildings … that’s
why he is my role model.
In the future,
Thinesan may swing from buildings. Sam might become a professional
basketball player. Eve could follow in her grandfather’s
footsteps and do great things thereby inspiring those who
follow her. And Shivani may one day be Kara Lang’s teammate
on the Olympic team. Who’s to say? If we encourage our
students to dream and be inspired by those they admire,
their potential is endless.
Reflections
one year later…
When the
study of students’ role models began, we did not know
what to expect from our action research. It was exciting,
challenging and gratifying, working in a quartet. Action
research is important and valuable in that it provided
flexibility within our group to do research in our classes,
itinerant class, or with small groups. However, gathering
and putting our research from theory into practice demanded
constant energy and concentration from everyone.
In the
initial stages of our research project, we talked about
bullying and the relevance of this topic in our schools
and society as a whole. After numerous late nights over
pots of tea and Timbits, this topic eventually morphed
into a discussion of how a child picks role models and
whether these choices are influenced by the age, gender,
or culture of the child.
We have
realized our time spent on this subject was worthwhile.
It has become second nature for us to include role models
into our conversations with students and with other teachers
(when they let us).
We continue
to be aware of the need for positive role models and
we are more cognizant of incorporating role models into
the curriculum. Whether it is in an elementary classroom,
a computer classroom or working with deaf and hard of
hearing students in high school, we find teachable moments
to include role models.
REFERENCES
Allen, A.
(1994). “On being a role model.” In D.T. Goldberg ed., Multiculturalism:
A critical reader.
Cambridge: Blackwell.
Anderson,
D. R., Huston, A.C., Schmitt, K.L., Linebarger, D.L., &Wright,
J.C. (2001). Self-image: role model preference and body
image. Early Childhood Television Viewing and Adolescent
Behavior, 66 (1) 108-119.
Boston: Blackwell.
Anderson,
K. J., & Cavallaro, D. (2002). Parents or pop culture?
Children’s heroes and role models. Childhood Education.
78,( 3) 161-168.
Assibey-Mensah,
G. O. (1997). Role models and youth development: Evidence
and lessons from the perceptions of African-American male
youth. The Western Journal of Black Studies,
2 ( 4) 242-252.
Basit, T.
N. (1997). ‘I want more freedom, but not too much’: British
Muslim girls and the dynamism of family values.. Retrieved
April 21, 2004, from Gender & Education,
9 (4) 425-440.
Benes, C.
H., & Steinbrink, J. E. (1998). Be your own hero: Activities
for middle-level social studies classes. Clearing House, 71 (6) 367.
Bittner, T.
(2001). The search for heroes.
Bromnick,
R. D., Swallow, B. L. (1999). I like being who I am: A
study of young people’s ideals. Educational Studies,
25 ( 2) 117-129.
Dasgupta,
S. D. (1998). Gender roles and cultural continuity in the
Asian Indian immigrant community in the U.S. Sex Roles: A
Journal of Research, 38 (12) 953-974.
French, J. & Pena,
S. (1991). Children’s hero play of the 20th century: Changes
resulting from television’s influence. Child Study Journal, 21 (2) 79-96.
Gash, H., & Conway,
P. (1997). Images of heroes and heroines: How stable? Journal
of Applied Developmental Psychology,
18, 349-372.
Gibson, D.
E., & Cordova, D. I. (1999). “Women’s and men’s role
models: The importance of exemplars.” In A. J. Murrell,
F. J. Crosby, R. J. Ely eds., Mentoring dilemmas: Developmental
relationships within multicultural organizations (pp. 121-141). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Grumet, M.
(1996). “ The curriculum: What are the basics and are we
teaching them?” In J. Kincheloe & S. Steinberg (Eds.), Thirteen
questions: Reframing education’s conversations (2nd
edition) (pp. 15-22).New York:Peter Lang.
Hill, P. (1993).
The need for deaf adult mole models in early intervention
programme. Deaf Role Models in Early Intervention. 19,
14-20.
Jackson, S.
J., & Melnick, M. J. (1998). The villain as a reference
idol: Selection frequencies and salient attributes among
New Zealand teenagers. Adolescence, 33 (131) 543-555.
Lockwood,
P., & Kunda, K. (2000). “ Outstanding role models:
Do they inspire or demoralize us?” In A. Tesser, R. B.
Felson, & J. M. Suls eds., Psychological Perspectives
on Self and Identity (pp.147-171).
Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Lockwood,
P., & Kunda, Z. (1997). Superstars and me: Predicting
the impact of role models on the self. Journal of Personality
and Social Psychology, 73 (1) 91-103.
Luckner, J.
L., & Stewart J. (2003). Self-assessments and other
perceptions of successful Adults who are deaf: An initial
investigation. American Annals of the Deaf, 148
(3) 243-250.
Redding, R.
L. (1997). Changing times, changing society: Implications
for professionals in deaf education. American Annals
of the Deaf. 142( 2) 83-85.
Signorielli,
N. (2001). “Television’s gender role images and contribution
to stereotyping” In D. G. Singer & J. L. Singer, eds. Handbook
of children and the media (pp. 341-358). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Stewart, S.
M., Bond, M. H., Deeds, O., & Chung, S. F. (1999).
Intergenerational patterns of values and autonomy expectations
in cultures of relatedness and separateness. Journal
of Cross-Cultural Psychology.
30 (5) 575-593.
Solomon, R.P.
(1997). Race, role modelling, representation in teacher
education and teaching. Canadian Journal of Education.
22, (4), 395-410.
Zirkel, S.(2002).
Is there a place for me? Role models and academic identity
among white students and students of colour. Teachers
College Record. 104, 2, 357-376.
