Teachers’ Negative Labeling of Students: It’s Impact on Students’ Selfesteem and Personality

Abstract

The present study explored teachers’ negative labeling of students and its impact on students’
self-esteem and personality. The study was quantitative in nature. The population included Cantt
area of Peshawar. The sample constituted 04 government girls high schools.Purposive sampling
technique was used. The data was collected from 100 students through questionnaire based on
five Likert’s scale. The Collected data was tabulated and analyzed by using Chi-square, SPSS
soft ware and percentages. The major conclusions were that the teachers use negative labels
during class and target the students who fail in any test or exam and perceived them as lazy,
useless, worthless etc. They think that these students will never get good grades because they are
slow learners, lack confidence and ask too many questions. Due to negative behavior of teachers
the students lose their self-esteem, get highly de-motivated, depressed, feel rejected, started
showing delinquent behavior towards their teachers and friends even they want to commit
suicide. The recommendations made by study included that Government may arrange in-service
training courses, seminars, workshops for improving teachers’ behavior especially towards weak
and slow learners and also to enlighten them with the consequences of negative labeling. Schools
may arrange parents/teacher meetings so teachers may discuss their students’ academic
problemswith parents in order to solve the issues related to a child. Government may develop
psychological counseling centers in public sectors where psychologists provide guidance to
effected students through counseling.