It is argued in the paper that a teacher's personal prestige and his/her authority as a teacher are related though do not coincide: it would be a mistake on the part of a teacher to design his/her attitudes with pupils proceeding exclusively from his/her role position. The process of development of teachers' authority, and of the whole system of authoritative relations in an instructional-educational collective, is described. It is shown also on what grounds respect for the teacher's authority is based in the eyes of junior schoolchildren, of adolescents, and of senior pupils.