A Cambridge University study shows that teacher encouragement plays a vital role in keeping their students engaged in education after high school. Commonly, teenagers lose their interests to continue to college at the age of 16. The research included a total of 4,300 students in England.

The respondents were tracked for seven years starting from the age of 13. Per BBC, this is the first study of its kind to measure the impact of teachers in the youth. The students came from 600 different schools and were asked to complete a detailed questionnaire every year. It took place between 2003 and 2010.

Experts at Cambridge University used mathematical modeling to correlate the students' responses with their personal backgrounds. It was later found out that mediocre students coming from poor families are mostly affected by teacher encouragement. Indeed, positive feedback has been a key to push these people to believe in themselves when no one else did.

Among the motivated students, 74 percent continued to study after the age of 16. On the contrary, 66 percent stopped schooling because they lost hope and inspiration. Education in England is reportedly compulsory until Year 11.

For students in the middle third for attainment, the impact of teacher motivation was even more visible. Sixty-four percent of those who received encouragement did A-levels while those who did not are at 52 percent. Moreover, 46 percent of the same group went to universities compared to the 36 percent who stopped.

On the other hand, students whose parents lacked formal education dreamed for better futures. Another 64 percent who received encouragement from their professors went to A-levels after turning 16 years old. Also at 52 percent, teens that were deprived of appropriate inspiration stopped going to school.

A-level schools, per Kings Education, are subject-based qualifications in the United Kingdom often considered as the "Gold Standard". Basically, they are pre-university stages offered for 16 to 19-year-olds. To further illustrate, at an A-level institution, teachers go slow and teach students everything they need to know. Well, in universities, students commonly go to the library to do their own research.

Topics Cambridge University