From Connection to Meaning: The Teacher as a Social Leader in the Age of Educational Crisis

This study explores the identity crisis of schools, marked by relational disconnection and a growing sense of meaning loss. Drawing on Matthew Lieberman’s social brain theory (2013), which views learning as a social act, and the Self-Determination Theory (SDT), the research investigates how students perceive the role of the teacher and of the school. The sample consists of 145 students from grades III to VIII who provided open-ended responses reflecting their classroom experiences. The findings reveal that students prioritize empathy, relational warmth, and mutual understanding over instructional performance or academic rigor. A good teacher is someone who listens, values emotions, and creates a sense of belonging. In this context, the teacher emerges as a social leader, capable of restoring cohesion and meaning in the educational process through authentic human connection. The study invites a rethinking of leadership in education as fundamentally relational and emotionally grounded.