دانشگاه اصفهان پژوهش نامه روانشناسی مثبت 2476-4248 11 3 2025 11 22 The Essentials and Subtleties of Wise Teaching: A Phenomenological Exploration of the Therapeutic Factors of Successful Education الزامات و لطائف معلمیِ خردمندانه: کاوشی پدیدارشناختی در عوامل مؤثر بر آموزش‌وپرورش موفق 89 106 30715 10.22108/ppls.2026.147428.2685 FA زهرا فلاح مبارکه کارشناسی ارشد روانشناسی عمومی،گروه روانشناسی، دانشکدۀ روانشناسی و علوم تربیتی، دانشگاه یزد، یزد، ایران سمانه اسعدی دانشیار گروه روانشناسی، دانشکده روانشناسی و علوم تربیتی، دانشگاه یزد، یزد، ایران زهرا نادری نوبندگانی دانشیار گروه روانشناسی، دانشکده روانشناسی و علوم تربیتی، دانشگاه یزد، یزد، ایران Journal Article 2025 11 12 The aim of this study was to examine the behavioral characteristics of a wise teacher as a factor in successful education from the perspective of wise teachers in the city of Yazd. A qualitative phenomenological method was used. The research setting included teachers (both active and retired) in Yazd County, and the sample, based on purposive sampling, consisted of male and female teachers who were identified as wise teachers by first-year students at Yazd University. After reaching theoretical saturation, the sample was limited to eleven subjects. From semi-structured interviews with the participants (3 men and 8 women), nine subcategories and two main categories were extracted. The categories related to the requirements of wise teaching included having interest and work commitment with a sacred purpose, being punctual/time-aware, the teachers’ having academic-pedagogical care, students’ enjoying emotional-psychological care, and striving to acquire, use, and transmit teaching experiences. The main category of the subtleties of wise teaching included attention to the enduring impacts of a teacher, careful reflection on actions and reactions, the importance of students’ first impressions (especially a neat appearance), and the formation of positive developments in students. According to the teachers’ views, to raise a wise generation, teachers must be equipped with a set of wise behavioral traits and, by observing particular subtleties in their conduct, cultivate wisdom in students—wisdom that is recognized as one of the factors effective in successful education. Keywords: wisdom, teacher, student, phenomenology Introduction* Education is a fundamental social institution that plays a pivotal role in sustainable development by shaping individuals' personal, social, and intellectual growth. Rapid technological and societal changes have increased the need to rethink educational practices, particularly the competencies and responsibilities of teachers (Darling-Hammond et al., 2017). Among these competencies, wisdom has emerged as a crucial educational attribute. Defined as the integration of deep knowledge, life experience, moral judgment, and practical decision-making, wisdom enables individuals to pursue personal and collective well-being (Glück et al., 2019). Although wisdom is primarily cultivated through experience and reflection, research indicates that it can also be fostered through formal education (Bruya & Ardelt, 2018). However, a persistent gap between educational policy and classroom practice underscores the need for evidence-based research. Recognizing the influential role of teachers in shaping students' behaviors and fostering wisdom, the present study draws upon a robust body of contemporary research and established theoretical foundations to address the following research question: What are the professional requirements of a wise teacher for effectively cultivating wisdom in students? Method This study adopted a qualitative research design using a phenomenological approach to explore teachers’ lived experiences and perceptions of wisdom and its behavioral manifestations. The research population consisted of both active and retired teachers in Yazd County, Iran. Participants were selected through purposive sampling. Initially, undergraduate students in their first to fourth semesters at the University of Yazd, who had recently graduated from their previous educational level, were asked to identify teachers they regarded as wise. Based on these nominations, semi-structured interviews were conducted until data saturation was achieved, resulting in a final sample of 11 teachers (3 men and 8 women). Data were collected through semi-structured interviews beginning with broad questions about the meaning of wisdom and its behavioral expressions, followed by more in-depth probing questions designed to elicit participants’ reflections and lived experiences. The interview data were analyzed using Colaizzi’s phenomenological method. Significant statements were first identified and assigned initial codes. Conceptually similar codes were then grouped into categories, allowing key themes that captured the essence of participants’ experiences and understandings of wisdom to emerge. Results The analysis ultimately yielded nine subcategories and two main categories, namely Requirements of Wise Teaching and Subtleties of Wise Teaching. When discussing teachers’ wisdom, it is essential to examine the characteristics and dispositions that define a wise teacher. Teachers serve as influential role models for their students; therefore, wisdom must be evident in their behavior to effectively transmit it to students and nurture a wise future generation. The categories identified under the Requirements of Wise Teaching included having interest and work commitment with a sacred purpose, being punctual/time-aware, the teachers’ having academic-pedagogical care, students’ enjoying emotional-psychological care, and striving to acquire, use, and transmit teaching experiences. In addition to these essential requirements, the findings suggest that subtle yet important aspects of teaching can strengthen teachers’ motivation and enable them to engage more effectively and consistently in education, particularly in fostering wisdom. A wise teacher not only embodies the necessary professional and personal qualities but also attends to these finer dimensions of practice to achieve greater effectiveness. The main category of Subtleties of Wise Teaching encompassed attention to the enduring impacts of a teacher, careful reflection on actions and reactions, the importance of students’ first impressions (especially a neat appearance), and the cultivation of positive developments in students Conclusion Participants emphasized that teachers must first embody wisdom themselves before they can effectively cultivate it in their students. They viewed teaching as a noble profession dedicated to human development rather than merely a source of income. Accordingly, wise teachers should continuously update their knowledge and provide students with scientifically sound and relevant learning experiences. supporting previous research highlighting the importance of continuous professional development for effective teaching (McLeod, 2020). Beyond professional competence, wise teachers were described as empathetic individuals who understand students' needs. This finding is consistent with evidence showing that teacher expectations influence student outcomes through factors such as empathy and perceptual biases (Murdock & Sedlacek, 2018). Participants also considered the acquisition, application, and sharing of professional experience to be indispensable elements of wisdom, reflecting the central role of experience in most theoretical conceptualizations of wisdom. The findings further identified several subtle behavioral characteristics that distinguish wise teachers from merely competent ones. They also highlighted the importance of first impressions, consistent with the findings of Rivera et al. (2023). Overall, the study suggests that promoting wisdom among future generations requires more than curriculum reform. It also depends on preparing teachers who personally exemplify wisdom. As this study employed a qualitative research design, its findings have limited generalizability compared with those of quantitative studies. Furthermore, because wisdom is strongly shaped by cultural context, the characteristics of wise teaching identified in this study may differ across societies and educational settings. Future research should therefore examine these findings in diverse cultural contexts using both qualitative and quantitative approaches. In addition, given that students are key stakeholders in the educational process, future studies should explore the behavioral characteristics of teachers who foster wisdom from students' perspectives. Ethical Consideration All ethical principles regarding human subjects were strictly observed. Compliance with Ethical Guidelines All ethical principles involving human participants were observed in this study. Participation was voluntary, informed consent was obtained from all participants, and the confidentiality and anonymity of the collected data were ensured Authors’ Contributions This study was conducted as part of the first author’s Master’s thesis at Yazd University. The first author conducted the study and drafted the manuscript. The second author served as the supervisor and corresponding author. The third author acted as the advisor. All authors approved the final manuscript. Conflict of Interest The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest Funding This research received no external funding. Acknowledgment We gratefully acknowledge all those who supported us in carrying out this research *. Corresponding author هدف از این پژوهش بررسی ویژگی‌های رفتاری معلم خردمند به عنوان عاملی در آموزش‌وپرورش موفق از نگاه معلمان خردمند شهرستان یزد بوده و برای مطالعه از روش کیفی پدیدارشناختی استفاده شده است. محیط پژوهش شامل معلمان شهرستان یزد (شاغل و بازنشسته) بود و حجم نمونه، بر اساس نمونه گیری هدفمند، معلمان زن و مردی بودند که توسط 60 دانشجوی سال‌اولی دانشگاه یزد به عنوان معلم خردمند معرفی شدند و بعد از رسیدن به اشباع نظری به یازده نفر محدود شد. در مجموع، از مصاحبۀ نیمه‌ساختارمند با مشارکت‌کنندگان (3 مرد و 8 زن)، 9 مقولۀ فرعی و 2 مقولۀ اصلی استخراج شدند. مقولههای استخراج‌شده در رابطه با الزامات معلمی خردمندانه شامل داشتن علاقه و تعهد کاری با هدفی مقدس، زمان‌شناس‌بودن، وجود مراقبت‌های علمی-آموزشی معلم، وجود مراقبت‌های عاطفی-روانی از دانش‌آموزان، تلاش برای کسب، استفاده و انتقال تجربیات معلمی و مقولۀ اصلی لطائف معلمی خردمندانه شامل توجه به تأثیر جاودانۀ معلم، تأمل دقیق بر کنش‌ها و واکنش‌ها، اهمیت‌داشتن برداشت‌های نخستین دانش‌آموزان (به ویژه ظاهر آراسته) و شکل‌گیری تحولات مثبت در دانش‌آموزان استخراج شده‌اند. با توجه به دیدگاه معلمان، برای پرورش نسلی خردمند، معلمان باید مجهز به یک‌سری ویژگی‌های رفتاری خردمندانه باشند و همچنین، با رعایت لطائفی خاص در رفتار خود، خردمندی را که به عنوان یکی از عوامل مؤثر در آموزش‌وپرورش موفق شناخته می‌شود، در دانش‌آموزان تقویت کنند.

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