Self-identified childhood shyness and perceptions of shy children: Voices of elementary school teachers
Keywords:
Teacher Perceptions of Shyness, Childhood ShynessAbstract
Childhood shyness plays an important role in terms of learning and socialization and can have
profound effects on individuals’ thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that can carry over into adulthood.
The present study investigated how self-identified childhood shyness might influence elementary
school teachers’ current perceptions of shyness among their students. Participants were 14
elementary school teachers. Interviews were conducted over the telephone and transcribed for
content analysis. Analysis revealed themes of social factors, personal factors, and relating to shyness
that contributed to childhood shyness. Moreover, these experiences of childhood shyness appeared
to contribute to teachers’ current perceptions of shyness (among teachers who self-identified as shy
children). Implications for future research and holistic educational practices are discussed.
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References
Arbeau, K.A. & Coplan, R.J. (2007). Kindergarten teachers’ beliefs and responses to hypothetical
prosocial, asocial, and antisocial children. Merill-Palmer Quarterly, 53(2), 291—318.
Arbeau, K.A., Coplan, R.J., & Weeks, M. (2010). Shyness, teacher-child relationships, and socio-economic
adjustment in grade 1. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 34(3), 259—269. Doi:
10.1177/0165025409350959
Berg, B.L. (2001). Qualitative Research Methods for the Social Sciences (4th ed.). Toronto, ON: Allyn &
Bacon.
Berry, D. & O’Connor, E. (2010). Behavioral risk, teacher-child relationships, and social skill
development across middle childhood: a child-by-environment analysis of change. Journal of
Applied Developmental Psychology, 31, 1—14. Doi: 10.1016/j.appdev.2009.05.001
Birch, S.H. & Ladd, G.W. (1997). The teacher-child relationship and children’s early school adjustment.
Journal of School Psychology, 35, 61—79.
Bosacki, S., Coplan, R. J., Rose Krasnor, L., & Hughes, H. (2011). Elementary school teachers’ reflections
on shy children in the classroom. Alberta Journal of Educational Research, 57(3), 273—287.
Coplan, R. J., & Arbeau, K. A. (2008). The stresses of a “brave new world”: Shyness and school
adjustment in kindergarten. Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 22, 377—389.
Coplan, R.J. & Armer, M. (2007). A “multitude” of solitude: A closer look at social withdrawal and
nonsocial play in early childhood. Child Development Perspectives, 1(1), 26—32.
Coplan, R., Hughes, K., Rose-Krasnor, L., & Bosacki, S. (2011). Is silence golden? Elementary school
teachers’ strategies and beliefs towards hypothetical shy-quiet and talkative-exuberant children.
Journal of Educational Psychology, 103(4), 939—951.
Creswell, J.W. (2008). Educational research: Planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative and
qualitative research (3rd ed.). Columbus, OH: Pearson.
Crozier, W.R. (2010). Shyness and the development of embarrassment and the self-conscious
emotions. In K.H. Rubin & R.J. Coplan (Eds.), The development of shyness and social withdrawal. New
York: Guilford.
Hamer, R.J. & Bruch, M.A. (1994). The role of shyness and private self-consciousness in identity
development. Journal of Research in Personality, 28, 436—452.
Harter, S. (1990). Self and identity development. In S.S. Feldman & G.R. Elliott (Eds.) At the Threshold:
The Developing Adolescent (pp. 352—387). Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Harter, S. (2008). The developing self. In W. Damon & R.M. Lerner (Eds.) Child and Adolescent
Development: An advanced course (pp. 216—264). Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons.
Hughes, K. & Coplan, R.J. (2010). Exploring process linking shyness and academic achievement in
childhood. School Psychology Quarterly, 25(4), 213—222. Doi: 10.1037/a00220070
Myers, S.S. & Pianta, R.C. (2008). Developmental commentary: Individual and contextual influences on
student-teacher relationships and children’s early problem behaviors. Journal of Clinical Child &
Adolescent Psychology, 37(3), 600—608.
Pianta, R. C., Steinberg, M. S., & Rollins, K. B. (1995). The first two years of school: Teacher-child
relationships and deflections in children's classroom adjustment. Development and
Psychopathology, 7, 295—312.
282
Phillips, D.A. & Lowenstein, A.E. (2011). Early care, education, and child development. Annual Review of
Psychology, 62, 483—500. Doi: 10.1146/annurev.psych.031809.130707
Rhea, K. (2010). Shy and Free [Discussion group]. Retrieved from http://www.shyandfree.com/
Rubin, K. H., & Coplan, R. J. (2004). Paying attention to and not neglecting social withdrawal and social
isolation. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 50, 506—534.
Rubin, K. H., Coplan, R. J., & Bowker, J. (2009). Social withdrawal in childhood. Annual Review of
Psychology, 60. 11.1-11.31.
Rudasill, K.M. (2011). Child temperament, teacher—child interactions, and teacher—child
relationships: a longitudinal investigation from first to third grade. Early Childhood Research
Quarterly, 26, 147—156. Doi: 10.1016/j.ecresq.2010.07.002
Rudasill, K.M. & Konold, T.R. (2008). Contributions of children’s temperament to teachers’ judgments of
social competence from kindergarten through second grade. Early Education & Development, 19(4),
643—666. Doi: 10.1080/104092802231096
See, B.H. & Arthur, J. (2011). The potential role of schools and teachers in the character development of
young people in England: perspectives from pupils and teachers. Evaluation & Research in
Education, 24(2), 143—157. Doi: 10.1080/09500790.2011.560664
Spooner, A.L., Evans, M.A., & Santos, R. (2005). Hidden shyness in children: discrepancies between selfperceptions
and the perceptions of parents and teachers. Merill-Palmer Quarterly, 51(4), 437—466.
Doi: 10.1353/mpq.2005.0028
prosocial, asocial, and antisocial children. Merill-Palmer Quarterly, 53(2), 291—318.
Arbeau, K.A., Coplan, R.J., & Weeks, M. (2010). Shyness, teacher-child relationships, and socio-economic
adjustment in grade 1. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 34(3), 259—269. Doi:
10.1177/0165025409350959
Berg, B.L. (2001). Qualitative Research Methods for the Social Sciences (4th ed.). Toronto, ON: Allyn &
Bacon.
Berry, D. & O’Connor, E. (2010). Behavioral risk, teacher-child relationships, and social skill
development across middle childhood: a child-by-environment analysis of change. Journal of
Applied Developmental Psychology, 31, 1—14. Doi: 10.1016/j.appdev.2009.05.001
Birch, S.H. & Ladd, G.W. (1997). The teacher-child relationship and children’s early school adjustment.
Journal of School Psychology, 35, 61—79.
Bosacki, S., Coplan, R. J., Rose Krasnor, L., & Hughes, H. (2011). Elementary school teachers’ reflections
on shy children in the classroom. Alberta Journal of Educational Research, 57(3), 273—287.
Coplan, R. J., & Arbeau, K. A. (2008). The stresses of a “brave new world”: Shyness and school
adjustment in kindergarten. Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 22, 377—389.
Coplan, R.J. & Armer, M. (2007). A “multitude” of solitude: A closer look at social withdrawal and
nonsocial play in early childhood. Child Development Perspectives, 1(1), 26—32.
Coplan, R., Hughes, K., Rose-Krasnor, L., & Bosacki, S. (2011). Is silence golden? Elementary school
teachers’ strategies and beliefs towards hypothetical shy-quiet and talkative-exuberant children.
Journal of Educational Psychology, 103(4), 939—951.
Creswell, J.W. (2008). Educational research: Planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative and
qualitative research (3rd ed.). Columbus, OH: Pearson.
Crozier, W.R. (2010). Shyness and the development of embarrassment and the self-conscious
emotions. In K.H. Rubin & R.J. Coplan (Eds.), The development of shyness and social withdrawal. New
York: Guilford.
Hamer, R.J. & Bruch, M.A. (1994). The role of shyness and private self-consciousness in identity
development. Journal of Research in Personality, 28, 436—452.
Harter, S. (1990). Self and identity development. In S.S. Feldman & G.R. Elliott (Eds.) At the Threshold:
The Developing Adolescent (pp. 352—387). Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Harter, S. (2008). The developing self. In W. Damon & R.M. Lerner (Eds.) Child and Adolescent
Development: An advanced course (pp. 216—264). Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons.
Hughes, K. & Coplan, R.J. (2010). Exploring process linking shyness and academic achievement in
childhood. School Psychology Quarterly, 25(4), 213—222. Doi: 10.1037/a00220070
Myers, S.S. & Pianta, R.C. (2008). Developmental commentary: Individual and contextual influences on
student-teacher relationships and children’s early problem behaviors. Journal of Clinical Child &
Adolescent Psychology, 37(3), 600—608.
Pianta, R. C., Steinberg, M. S., & Rollins, K. B. (1995). The first two years of school: Teacher-child
relationships and deflections in children's classroom adjustment. Development and
Psychopathology, 7, 295—312.
282
Phillips, D.A. & Lowenstein, A.E. (2011). Early care, education, and child development. Annual Review of
Psychology, 62, 483—500. Doi: 10.1146/annurev.psych.031809.130707
Rhea, K. (2010). Shy and Free [Discussion group]. Retrieved from http://www.shyandfree.com/
Rubin, K. H., & Coplan, R. J. (2004). Paying attention to and not neglecting social withdrawal and social
isolation. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 50, 506—534.
Rubin, K. H., Coplan, R. J., & Bowker, J. (2009). Social withdrawal in childhood. Annual Review of
Psychology, 60. 11.1-11.31.
Rudasill, K.M. (2011). Child temperament, teacher—child interactions, and teacher—child
relationships: a longitudinal investigation from first to third grade. Early Childhood Research
Quarterly, 26, 147—156. Doi: 10.1016/j.ecresq.2010.07.002
Rudasill, K.M. & Konold, T.R. (2008). Contributions of children’s temperament to teachers’ judgments of
social competence from kindergarten through second grade. Early Education & Development, 19(4),
643—666. Doi: 10.1080/104092802231096
See, B.H. & Arthur, J. (2011). The potential role of schools and teachers in the character development of
young people in England: perspectives from pupils and teachers. Evaluation & Research in
Education, 24(2), 143—157. Doi: 10.1080/09500790.2011.560664
Spooner, A.L., Evans, M.A., & Santos, R. (2005). Hidden shyness in children: discrepancies between selfperceptions
and the perceptions of parents and teachers. Merill-Palmer Quarterly, 51(4), 437—466.
Doi: 10.1353/mpq.2005.0028
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Published
2017-08-01
How to Cite
Lao, M. G., Akseer, T., Bosacki, S., & Coplan, R. J. (2017). Self-identified childhood shyness and perceptions of shy children: Voices of elementary school teachers. International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education, 5(3), 269–284. Retrieved from https://www.iejee.com/index.php/IEJEE/article/view/26
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