Hyper-tutors: How Far Do We Have To Go?
In 2016 the journalist and writer Eva Millet launched the book Hyperpaternity. In it he talks about an inappropriate parenting model that is increasingly present in today’s society, based on overprotection and excessive control of children.
Two years later, in 2018, this same author published Hyperchildren: Perfect children or hypochildren? , where he reflects on the terrible consequences of educating children in this way. In addition, in this book he dedicates a chapter to the figure of hypertutor in schools.
Thus, Eva Millet makes this worrying phenomenon visible, characterized by offering intense care and protection to minors, and exposes how it is spreading beyond the family environment, also appearing in the school context.
Do you want to know what are the characteristics of hyperthytors? How far do you have to go to be a good teacher? Do overprotective teachers hurt or benefit students? Discover the answer to all these questions below!
Hyper-tutors: how far do you have to go?
A good teacher must transmit closeness and security to his students, creating warm and trusting relationships in the classroom. But you must also let children be free and independent and allow them to make their own mistakes and learn from them. However, it seems that hypertutorians forget about this last part.
When we talk about hypertutorship, we are referring to a type of teachers who show an overprotective attitude towards their students, since they treat them as vulnerable and fragile beings who need constant support and help.
Although the intention of these teachers is to facilitate the path of learning for students, what they really achieve is to limit their possibilities.
In addition, hypertutors are characterized by intruding and becoming excessively involved in the private lives of their students and establish too intense communication with families, bordering on heaviness.
Of course, there needs to be a collaborative relationship between the family and the school, but always respecting certain limits. Just as parents shouldn’t be constantly calling or emailing teachers (and less for irrelevant topics), teachers can’t continually bother students’ parents either.
Consequences of overprotecting children
Overprotection, both on the part of the family and on the part of the school, limits the little ones and prevents them from developing their full potential. Thus, some of the negative consequences that can be observed in children who grow up with hyperparents at home or with hyperparents at school are the following:
- Low tolerance for frustration.
- Low self-confidence.
- Low level of autonomy.
- Little effort capacity.
- Low social skills.
- Poor problem-solving skills.
- Tendency to experience episodes of anxiety or other mental health problems, such as depression or eating disorders.
- Greater probability of developing emotional dependence towards other people.
- Greater probability of developing fears.
- Tendency to self-centeredness.
Therefore, as Eva Millet affirms:
Avoid becoming hypertutor
The education of children depends, in large part, on their teachers. And not only academically, but also socially, emotionally, etc.
For this reason, it is essential that teachers have a series of skills, both personal and professional, that allow them to fulfill their functions in the best possible way. Among these skills, obviously, is not that of overprotecting students. But it is not about leaving them helpless, but about establishing a middle ground.
Thus, to avoid becoming hypertensive, two types of attitudes must be combined, one more oriented towards affection and communication and the other towards control and discipline. So, as teachers, it is important to show love, empathy, understanding, flexibility, and enthusiasm for students. But you also have to be firm and set limits when necessary.
