Peer relationships are one of the biggest influences on students in school. While parents and teachers obviously play large roles in child development and morals, interactions with peers are just as important. Kids spend a great deal of time with their classmates, both inside and outside of the classroom. These interactions teach children valuable social skills and help them define their place in the world.

How Peers Influence Children

Children in public school are constantly surrounded by others of their own age. There is a wide range of possible relationships among children, and children learn about social behavior from them all, including friends, classmates, teammates and enemies. On the positive side, peer interaction teaches kids how to make and keep friends and how to work, learn, and play together. On the negative side, a peer can be a bully or can lead a child towards destructive behavior. Peer relationships are essential for teaching children how to function in society. One of the most commonly cited objections to home schooling is that children who are home-schooled don’t have sufficient opportunities to be properly socialized with their peers. Learning how to live with other kids is the precursor to forming adult relationships. The processes that children go through when learning how to get along with other children lead to the same skills they’ll need as adults to get along with co-workers and others in the community.

Peers influence children in a number of ways.

• Socialization. Kids learn to talk and play with other kids. Peer interaction also helps them
  grow into their future roles in society.
• Cognition and learning. Kids learn in a group environment.
• Children learn about morals, ethics and a sense of right and wrong from peer interactions.
• During games and sports, children learn to cooperate and work together toward joint
  goals.

Child psychologists and educators have long recognized the significance of these factors. The Russian child psychologist Lev Vygotsky, for example, was instrumental in creating social development theory, which studies the relationship between socialization and cognitive development. It has been shown that children who are not properly socialized are likely to have difficulties in other areas, such as learning.

Helping Students Develop Healthy Relationships

Because peer interactions play such a large role in socialization, it’s important for parents and teachers to keep a watchful eye on children and observe how they get along with their classmates. Some kids are naturally shy and have difficulty fitting in. Others are overly aggressive and try to dominate social situations. Adults cannot supervise every interaction. Indeed, this would not be healthy, as kids need to develop their own social skills, including learning how to deal with conflict. However, kids can and should be monitored and given help when necessary. This is as true on the playground, in organized sports, and in play dates as it is at school. Kids who are having problems can be taught socialization skills.

Peers have a profound influence on children of all ages. The ability to develop healthy peer
relationships are just as important as academics in school.

* * *

Communities in Schools – Jacksonville supports a range of educational activities in Duval County public schools. Our case management initiatives often help children address issues of peer interactions and social skills. Learn more.
# # #
Related: Jacksonville Tutoring Services