--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A child's learning is a function more of…" description: "\"A child's learning is a function more of the characteristics of his classmates than those of the teacher.\" — James S. Coleman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ae/james-s-coleman-28889_characteristics_a-child-s-learning-is-a-function-more-of_1016872.jpg" --- # A child's learning is a function more of the… ![“A child's learning is a function more of the characteristics of his classmates than those of the teacher.” quote by James S. Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ae/james-s-coleman-28889_characteristics_a-child-s-learning-is-a-function-more-of_1016872.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ae/james-s-coleman-28889_characteristics_a-child-s-learning-is-a-function-more-of_1016872.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ae/james-s-coleman-28889_characteristics_a-child-s-learning-is-a-function-more-of_1016872.jpg) > “A child's learning is a function more of the characteristics of his classmates than those of the teacher.” [James S. Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-coleman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Peers influence a child's learning more than teachers do, shaping attitudes and achievement. **In simple terms:** Classmates affect learning more than teachers. Key Takeaway Foster positive peer environments. Themes education peer influence learning social dynamics Mood analytical optimistic Type academic policy When to use this quote - classroom collaboration - study groups - mentor programs - peer tutoring Key Concepts social learning theory group dynamics educational equity Questions to Reflect On - How can teachers leverage peer influence? - What policies promote supportive peer groups? A Different Perspective Teachers still play a crucial role. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Characteristics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characteristics/) [Characteristics Classmates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characteristics-classmates-2243035/) [Child Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child-learning-1386567/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Classmates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/classmates/) [Classmates Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/classmates-teacher-2243033/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Function](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/function/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher/) ## Related quotes > [The most important part of a child's learning journey is a solid educational foundation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-ivey/the-most-important-part-of-a-child-s-learning-journey-is-a-solid/) [Kay Ivey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-ivey/) > [“Parents, don’t invest in your child's teaching; invest in your child's learning.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ahn/parents-don-t-invest-in-your-child-s-teaching-invest-in-your-child-s/) [Steve Ahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ahn/) > [I only have one child. 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Before learning computers, children should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dixie-carter/learning-can-take-place-in-the-backyard-if-there-is-a-human-being/) [Dixie Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dixie-carter/) > [“Montessori called the child under six years old "a sensorial explorer" and based her educational approach for the child's early years upon the child's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-polk-lillard/montessori-called-the-child-under-six-years-old-a-sensorial-explorer/) [Paula Polk Lillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-polk-lillard/) > [Don't limit a child to your own learning, for he was born in another time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/don-t-limit-a-child-to-your-own-learning-for-he-was-born-in-another/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [“Don't limit a child to your own learning, for she was born in another time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/don-t-limit-a-child-to-your-own-learning-for-she-was-born-in-another/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [“You can’t understand Google… unless you know that both Larry and Sergey were Montessori kids.”22 This teaching environment is tailored to a child’s learning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laszlo-bock/you-can-t-understand-google-unless-you-know-that-both-larry-and/) [Laszlo Bock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laszlo-bock/) > [At school, when kids are being encouraged to get the one right answer and fill in that bubble, people can do things that enable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberta-michnick-golinkoff/at-school-when-kids-are-being-encouraged-to-get-the-one-right-answer/) [Roberta Michnick Golinkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberta-michnick-golinkoff/) > [I can't promise that every child with learning differences will become a novelist, but I do think all children can become lifelong readers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/i-can-t-promise-that-every-child-with-learning-differences-will/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [A child in the 4th grade who's just learning algebra is not imperfect. While there may be a child in the 12th grade who's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/a-child-in-the-4th-grade-who-s-just-learning-algebra-is-not-imperfect/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [The basic function of the government everywhere in all times, whatever title it adopts and whatever its origin and organisation may be, is always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errico-malatesta/the-basic-function-of-the-government-everywhere-in-all-times-whatever/) [Errico Malatesta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errico-malatesta/) > [ The most characteristic concern of rhetoric \[is\] the manipulation of men's beliefs for political ends…the basic function of rhetoric \[is\] the use of words… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-burke/the-most-characteristic-concern-of-rhetoric-is-the-manipulation-of/) [Kenneth Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-burke/) > [My biggest phobia is spiders. When I was in second grade, one of my classmates got bitten. That did it for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanna-white/my-biggest-phobia-is-spiders-when-i-was-in-second-grade-one-of-my/) [Vanna White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanna-white/) > [As seventh graders, my classmates and I would make rockets to see what made them fly and models of remote-controlled motor boats because Palanpur…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pranav-mistry/as-seventh-graders-my-classmates-and-i-would-make-rockets-to-see-what/) [Pranav Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pranav-mistry/) ## More by James S. Coleman > [It is clear from all these data that the interests of teenagers are not focused around studies, and that scholastic achievement is at most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-coleman/it-is-clear-from-all-these-data-that-the-interests-of-teenagers-are/) [James S. Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-coleman/) > [Schools are successful only insofar as they reduce the dependence of a child's opportunities upon his social origins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-coleman/schools-are-successful-only-insofar-as-they-reduce-the-dependence-of/) [James S. Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-coleman/) > [Children from a given family background, when put in schools of different social compositions, will achieve at quite different levels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-coleman/children-from-a-given-family-background-when-put-in-schools-of/) [James S. Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-coleman/) > [For to change the norms, the very foci of attention, of a cultural system is a difficult task - far more complex than that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-coleman/for-to-change-the-norms-the-very-foci-of-attention-of-a-cultural/) [James S. Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-coleman/) > [The higher the social class of other students the higher any given student's achievement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-coleman/the-higher-the-social-class-of-other-students-the-higher-any-given/) [James S. Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-coleman/) > [Particular individuals who might never consider dropping out if they were in a different high school might decide to drop out if they attended…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-coleman/particular-individuals-who-might-never-consider-dropping-out-if-they/) [James S. Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-coleman/) > [The present structure of rewards in high schools produces a response on the part of an adolescent social system which effectively impedes the process…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-coleman/the-present-structure-of-rewards-in-high-schools-produces-a-response/) [James S. Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-coleman/) > [The educational resources provided by a child's fellow students are more important for his achievement than are the resources provided by the school board.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-coleman/the-educational-resources-provided-by-a-child-s-fellow-students-are/) [James S. Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-coleman/) > [It is one thing to take as a given that approximately 70 percent of an entering high school freshman class will not attend college,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-coleman/it-is-one-thing-to-take-as-a-given-that-approximately-70-percent-of/) [James S. Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-coleman/) > [Cultural dominance of middle-class norms prevail in middle-class schools with a teacher teaching toward those standards and with students striving to maintain those standards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-coleman/cultural-dominance-of-middle-class-norms-prevail-in-middle-class/) [James S. Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-coleman/) > [In every school, more boys wanted to be remembered as a star athlete than as a brilliant student.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-coleman/in-every-school-more-boys-wanted-to-be-remembered-as-a-star-athlete/) [James S. Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-coleman/) > [As an example, one of the schools I have been studying is too small to compete effectively in most sports, but participates with vigor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-coleman/as-an-example-one-of-the-schools-i-have-been-studying-is-too-small-to/) [James S. Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-coleman/) > [There are many examples in high schools which show something about the effects such competition might have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-coleman/there-are-many-examples-in-high-schools-which-show-something-about/) [James S. Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-coleman/) > [The results indicate that heterogeneity of race and heterogeneity of family educational background can increase the achievement of children from weak educational backgrounds with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-coleman/the-results-indicate-that-heterogeneity-of-race-and-heterogeneity-of/) [James S. Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-coleman/) > [In a high school, the norms act to hold down the achievements of those who are above average, so that the school's demands will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-coleman/in-a-high-school-the-norms-act-to-hold-down-the-achievements-of-those/) [James S. Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-coleman/) [Explore all 19 James S. Coleman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-coleman/) ## More Characteristics quotes > [One of the key characteristics of the comic book medium is that it is not brought to life by just one voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lee/one-of-the-key-characteristics-of-the-comic-book-medium-is-that-it-is/) [Jim Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lee/) > [“What makes a good leader? I ask myself this every day, and then as I begin to list off characteristics I realize I’m describing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/what-makes-a-good-leader-i-ask-myself-this-every-day-and-then-as-i/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [Those who know New York City primarily through tourism or mass culture may think of us natives as possessing certain shared characteristics, not all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-dee/those-who-know-new-york-city-primarily-through-tourism-or-mass/) [Jonathan Dee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-dee/) > [Sometimes, Ms. Lane," he said, "one must break with one's past to embrace one's future. It is never an easy thing to do. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/sometimes-ms-lane-he-said-one-must-break-with-one-s-past-to-embrace/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [Just because someone thinks they remember something in detail, with confidence and with emotion, does not mean that it actually happened, .. False memories…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-loftus/just-because-someone-thinks-they-remember-something-in-detail-with/) [Elizabeth Loftus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-loftus/) > [Consequently, citizen legislators, rotating back to their communities after a short period of public service—considered an indispensable and routine characteristic and design of representative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/consequently-citizen-legislators-rotating-back-to-their-communities/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A second characteristic of the process which for me is the good life, is that it involves an increasingly tendency to live fully in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-rogers/a-second-characteristic-of-the-process-which-for-me-is-the-good-life/) [Carl Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-rogers/) > [Philanthropy is one of the most hopeful characteristics of our time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-livermore/philanthropy-is-one-of-the-most-hopeful-characteristics-of-our-time/) [Mary Livermore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-livermore/) > [God has given this way of life to Israel: to abstain from everything which is contrary to nature, that is to say, anger, fits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poemen/god-has-given-this-way-of-life-to-israel-to-abstain-from-everything/) [Poemen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poemen/) > [The most significant moment will be when we stop referring to the hiring of qualified women (and racial, ethnic and religious minorities) as significant.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-trask/the-most-significant-moment-will-be-when-we-stop-referring-to-the/) [Amy Trask](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-trask/) > [Iron and coal dominated everywhere, from grey to black: the black boots, the black stove-pipe hat, the black coach or carriage, the black iron…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-mumford/iron-and-coal-dominated-everywhere-from-grey-to-black-the-black-boots/) [Lewis Mumford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-mumford/) > [The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. 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