School deportment and student teacher sex and ethnicity

The association between office referrals and the ethnicity and sex of 20 grade 1-6 teachers and 567 (323 black, 130 white, and 114 Spanish surnamed) students was studied for two years. White teachers reported disproportionately more students and infractions, followed by Spanish surnamed and black teachers. The distribution and frequency of reported infractions were associated with teacher and student ingroup rates, rather than differential teacher x student cross-group rates: (a) i. e., disproportionately more male, then black students were reported and with greater frequency by teachers of each sex and ethnicity, respectively; however, (b) teachers' referral frequencies were moderately higher for own-ethnic and other-sex students.     

Student behaviors, teacher reinforcement, student ability, and learning

Ninety-eight children were observed for 6-min periods on each of 10 days during 50-min, small-group classes in either mathematics, science, geography, or language usage. Two student behaviors (on-task behavior and accuracy of responding to teacher-directed questions) and three types of teacher reinforcement (verbal reinforcement for on-task behavior and accurate responding and tangible reinforcers) were coded during each observation period. A post-test of achievement, directly related to the content of the lessons, was administered at the end of the 10 days of instruction. The causal effects of student behaviors, teacher reinforcement, and student ability (reading achievement and intelligence) on achievement were evaluated using path analysis. The strongest effects were from student ability measures, with accurate responding by students and teacher reinforcement of accurate responding exhibiting smaller, but significant effects. Findings are discussed to qualify the relationship between overt classroom behaviors and degree of learning and the mediating effects of student ability.     

Correlations between teacher and student background and teacher perceptions of discipline problems and disciplinary techniques

A survey of elementary school teachers was conducted to examine the relations between teacher perceptions of discipline problems and disciplinary techniques and five background characteristics of teachers and students: (a) teacher education, (b) teacher experience, (c) student social class, (d) student ethnicity, and (e) student grade level. In general, more experienced and educated teachers preferred confronting students about misbehavior, while less educated teachers rated physical or verbal punishments more favorably. Teachers in schools serving lower social classes and/or more minority students reported more discipline problems and more use of physical punishment. Many other significant relations were reported.     

A study of student perceptions of physics teacher behavior

This study investigates student perceptions of the behavior of physics teachers in relation to some other variables in the classroom situation. The research was carried out as a Dutch option of the Second International Science Study. Data were gathered in 65 classrooms of physics teachers with pupils 15 years old. Some of the teachers (21) used the new PLON curriculum and the others a traditional one. Student perceptions of teacher behavior were measured with a questionnaire based on the interpersonal theory of Leary (1957). The aspect of behavior measured is called interactional teacher behavior. We found remarkably high correlations between student perceptions of teacher behavior and affective outcomes such as appreciation of the lessons and motivation for the subject matter. Also, the correlations with cognitive outcomes measured with a standardized international test were significant. It appears that some differences exist between teacher behaviors that are favorable for high cognitive outcomes and behaviors favorable for high affective outcomes in physics lessons. Hardly any differences were found in teacher behavior between teachers using the traditional and the new physics curriculum.     

Observational,student, and teacher perspectives on interpersonal teacher behavior: Shared and unique associations with teacher and student emotions

Teachers’ interpersonal behavior in class is important for teacher and student emotions. Often the same rater (either teacher or students) is used to assess both perceptions of teacher behavior and emotions, which makes it vulnerable to common-method bias. Including other perspectives on teacher behavior has been proposed as a solution, but it is unclear to what extent different perspectives are correlated and how to separate their shared and unique variance in explaining emotions. Behavior of 80 teachers was rated from three perspectives (observers, students, and teachers) in terms of Agency (i.e., social influence) and Communion (i.e., friendliness). The three perspectives overlapped more strongly for teacher agency than for communion. Especially for students, teacher communion was a stronger predictor of emotions than agency. Our innovative statistical approach showed that the strong association between ratings of teacher behavior and emotions of the same rater are unlikely to result from common-method bias only.     

An experimental evaluation of three teacher quality measures: Value-added,classroom observations,and student surveys

Nearly every state evaluates teacher performance using multiple measures, but evidence has largely shown that only one such measure—teachers’ effects on student achievement (i.e., value-added)—captures teachers’ causal effects. We conducted a random assignment experiment in 66 fourth- and fifth-grade mathematics classrooms to evaluate the predictive validity of three measures of teacher performance: value-added, classroom observations, and student surveys. Combining our results with those from two previous random assignment experiments, we provide additional experimental evidence that value-added measures are unbiased predictors of teacher performance. Though results for the other two measures are less precise, we find that classroom observation scores are predictive of teachers’ performance after random assignment while student surveys are not. These results thus lend support to teacher evaluation systems that use value-added and classroom observations, but suggest practitioners should proceed with caution when considering student survey measures for teacher evaluation.     

Classroom environments and student empowerment: An analysis of elementary and secondary teacher beliefs

This project explored a classroom model of motivation in which the source of student motivation is based on internal mechanisms or structures and classroom student/instructor interactions. It also extended earlier research in which beliefs of veteran, entry level, and preservice teachers have been explored. For this project, 117 elementary teachers (Grades K–5) with at least 3 years of experience and 126 secondary teachers (Grades 6–12) with similar teaching experiences completed a 40-item Likert-type questionnaire that focused on the four classroom dimensions of Affirmation, Rejection, Student Empowerment, and Teacher Control. The results suggested that elementary teachers and secondary teachers varied in their reported desire for teacher empowerment versus student empowerment in the classroom, and for providing a positive classroom environment as opposed to one that encourages a classroom atmosphere of rejection. Implications for future research and the need for creating affirming, empowering, motivational classroom environments are discussed.     

The impact of student characteristics and teacher efficacy on teachers’ predictions of student success

This study examined how the interaction between student and teacher characteristics affects teachers’ predictions of students’ academic and social success. Three hundred and eighty-four general education teachers responded to (a) one of 32 possible case studies describing a student, in which gender, reading achievement, social behavior, and attentiveness were manipulated experimentally and (b) to a 16-item teacher-efficacy scale. Results showed that (1) teachers with high efficacy make less negative predictions about students, and seem to adjust their predictions when student characteristics change, while low efficacy teachers seem to be paying attention to a single characteristic when making their predictions. (2) All teachers respond similarly to students who exhibit a combination of aggressive and inattentive behaviors, that is, if students are friendly, inattentiveness is tolerated more than if they are aggressive. (3) All teachers make higher predictions of academic success for students reading on grade level even when they are aggressive, than for students reading below grade level even when they are friendly. The authors discuss the importance of attending to the complexity of characteristics each student brings in to the classroom.     

Two decades of research on teacher–student relationships in class

This paper reports on results of research from a 25-year program of studies investigating teacher–student relationships in secondary classrooms. The authors review the research that examines teaching from an interpersonal perspective using a communicative systems approach and propose a model to describe teacher–student relationships in terms of teacher behavior. The studies used the Questionnaire on Teacher Interaction (QTI) to collect data on students’ and teachers’ perceptions of the teacher–student relationship. The authors review studies showing that teacher–student relationships appropriate for high student outcomes are characterized by a rather high degree of teacher influence and proximity towards students. Studies on non-verbal behavior and the spatial position of the teacher in the class support the need for beginning teachers to portray the image of an experienced teacher whenever they address the class as a group. The paper concludes that the QTI is a useful research tool, but research on the QTI as a feedback instrument for teachers is insufficient to prove its usefulness.     

A teacher like me or a student like me? Role model versus teacher bias effect

Several studies have found that teacher–student gender matching has positive effects on student achievement. However, the underlying mechanisms that explain this effect have not been empirically explored. This paper studies the impact of same gender teachers on academic achievement for a large sample of 8th graders in Chile. I provide evidence that girls benefit from being assigned to female teachers, while there is no negative effect on boys. More importantly, I provide evidence that the positive effect is due to role model effects and not to teacher bias effects.     

Beginning and experienced secondary school teachers' self- and student schema in positive and problematic teacher–student relationships

The quality of teacher–student relationships is important for teachers' well-being in schools. In this interview study we investigated which cognitions comprise secondary school teachers' self- and student schema in positive and problematic teacher–student relationships. Frequency analyses of these cognitions showed that especially student schema differed in teachers' talk of positive and problematic relationships. When combining cognitions of the self- and student schema, a HOMALS analysis revealed two types of positive and two types of problematic relationships. Differences between novices and experienced teachers were apparent for positive relationships. These findings raise questions about teachers' attributions for the quality of teacher–student relationships.     

A mass observation study of student and teacher behaviour in British primary classrooms

A large scale observational study by educational psychologists of 141 UK primary classrooms used a partial interval time‐sampling observational schedule to record the frequency and type of verbal behaviour of teachers and whether students were “on‐task” (following the teacher’s directions) or “off‐task” (not following the teacher’s directions).

Results were analysed and comparisons made between lessons that followed National Literacy Strategy or Numeracy guidelines and those that did not; between schools from different geographical contexts, e.g. rural or inner‐city; between classes where there was one, or more than one, adult present; between schools with different percentages of free school meals; and between a.m. and p.m. lessons.

A range of findings included higher rates of students being on‐task than found by previous studies, and correlations between high on‐task rates and teachers who used high levels of verbal behaviour including positive academic feedback. Teachers used three times more verbal approval for desired social behaviour in the classroom than has been reported in previous studies. It was found that teachers verbally interacted more with students during National Literacy and Numeracy Strategy lessons but that this did not lead to statistically significantly higher on‐task rate. Similarly, teachers in inner‐city schools interacted more with students, but on‐task rates in inner‐city schools were not significantly higher. Reasons for this effect are discussed.     

Overarching professional identity themes in student teacher workplace learning

ABSTRACT

This study reports on how student teachers learn in the workplace. Data from 10 student teachers were collected by means of digital logs and in-depth interviews. By reconstructing data into stories and unravelling these stories, it became clear that the learning process of each student teacher was dominated by one specific theme, such as student-centred teaching or creating a positive learning climate. These themes could be typified as professional identity themes, because all appeared to be both personal and professional. Five student teachers experienced their workplace learning process as continuous: they integrated their teaching experiences relatively easily into their personal conceptual framework. The other five experienced their workplace learning process as discontinuous: they experienced tensions caused by frictions between personal and professional aspects of becoming a teacher. Both types of learning can stimulate and hinder student teachers’ professional development. The findings indicate that reconstructing data into stories and unravelling these stories is a useful technique for understanding student teacher workplace learning as a result of the interaction between personal and professional aspects of becoming a teacher.     

From externalizing student behavior to student-specific teacher self-efficacy: The role of teacher-perceived conflict and closeness in the student–teacher relationship

Data gathered from a longitudinal study within regular upper elementary schools were used to evaluate a theoretical model within which teachers’ perceptions of conflict and closeness in the student–teacher relationship were considered as the intermediary mechanisms by which individual students’ externalizing behavior generates changes in teachers’ student-specific self-efficacy beliefs (TSE) across teaching domains. Surveys were administered among a Dutch sample of 524 third-to-sixth graders and their 69 teachers. Longitudinal mediation models indicated that individual students’ externalizing behavior generally predicted higher levels of teacher-perceived conflict, which, in turn, resulted in lower student-specific TSE across teaching domains (i.e., instructional strategies, behavior management, student engagement, and emotional support). Teacher-perceived closeness, however, was not found to mediate the link between externalizing student behavior and student-specific TSE. Instead, support was found for an alternative model representing the hypothesis that TSE, irrespective of teaching domain, mediated behavior-related changes in teachers’ perceptions of closeness in the student–teacher relationship.     

The impact of teacher immediacy and perceived caring on teacher competence and trustworthiness

This research investigated the impact of teacher caring and teacher immediacy on student perceptions of teachers' credibility. While the results of the two studies conducted indicated the presence of strong main effects for teacher caring and immediacy and strong negative effects for teacher non‐caring and nonimmediacy on the various dimensions of teacher credibility (as hypothesized), significant interaction effects were observed between caring and nonimmediacy on both dimensions of credibility studied (competence and trustworthiness). In most cases, when teacher caring was low, whether the teacher was in the immediate or nonimmediate condition made no significant difference—both produced negative perceptions of teacher credibility. In contrast, when teacher caring was high, teacher nonimmediacy significantly lowered perceived credibility. Probing of the interaction results suggested that high verbal caring tends to soften the negative impact of teacher nonimmediacy. The results of these studies demonstrate that teachers should maintain high verbal caring to preserve their credibility in the classroom. Implications for teacher training and suggestions for future research are discussed.     

Identifying the types of student and teacher behaviours associated with teacher stress

The objectives of this study were to identify the student behaviours associated with teacher stress and determine the types of teacher behaviours that may elicit these stressful student behaviours. Student teachers (n=186) and their supervising teachers (n=77) completed a stressful student behaviour questionnaire, a teacher behaviour questionnaire, and a teacher stress survey. Results showed that student lack of effort in class was most strongly associated with teacher stress. In addition, teacher behaviours were correlated with students’ behaviours of coming to class unprepared. However, few significant correlations were obtained when student behaviour and teacher behaviour data were provided by different sources.     

The effect of a brief teacher training on student achievement

On the basis of previously determined correlations between teacher behavior and student achievement, a training program for mathematics teachers was developed. Previous research had established that this training did change the behavior of teachers. This article reports the effects of the training program on teacher behavior, student achievement, and student attitudes towards mathematics. From this study it appeared that the timing of the training was important for its effect on student achievement. There was no effect on student attitude.     

When is student teaching teacher education?

This paper presents a conceptual framework that relates empirical aspects of student teaching (facts about the experience) to considerations of value (what student teachers ought to learn). First, the authors explain what they mean by calling student teaching an “occasion for teacher learning.” Next based on their observational and interview data, the authors present two cases of student teaching to illustrate how the relative influence of program, setting, and participants interact to shape opportunities for teacher learning. One teaching episode that elicited considerable pride in each student teacher is presented to highlight how and what the students teachers learned. The conclusion appraises the lessons learned in student teaching in terms of the framework and suggests how teacher educators can increase the educative power of the student teaching experience.     

Connecting teacher and student motivation: Student-perceived teacher need-supportive practices and student need satisfaction

According to Self-Determination Theory (SDT), teacher motivation affects student motivation indirectly via teaching practices that support the satisfaction of students’ basic psychological needs, but studies have not shown evidence of this entire sequence. We tested the complete model: teacher motivation (autonomous, controlled, and amotivation) → perceived need-supportive practices (autonomy support, structure, and involvement) → student need satisfaction (autonomy, competence, and relatedness) → student motivation (autonomous, controlled, and amotivation) → student academic achievement. South Korean 5th and 6th graders (N = 697) and their 35 teachers participated in this study. A multi-level structural equation model showed evidence supporting: 1) a positive link between teacher and student autonomous motivation, and, 2) its mediation by student perceived need-supportive practices and student autonomy and competence. We discussed further conceptual and empirical consideration with the results..     

Teacher anxiety,teacher effectiveness,and student anxiety

The relationships between teacher anxiety while teaching, student anxiety, and student perceptions of teaching effectiveness were examined. The teachers were 19 nurse educators and the students were 72 student nurses in Sydney, Australia. The teachers taught a lesson selected at random and completed a state anxiety questionnaire before the lesson began and, again, after the lesson in terms of how they felt while teaching. After the lesson, the students completed an assessment of the teacher's effectiveness and a questionnaire to record the anxiety levels experienced while being taught. Teacher A-State while teaching was found to be closely related to student perceptions about lesson organization, teacher affect, and teacher confidence. Teacher A-State while teaching was also found to be significantly related to the level of A-State experienced by the students while being taught.