Student Perceptions of Teacher Support and its Impact on Achievement

Running Head: TEACHER SUPPORT AND STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT1

Student Perceptions of Teacher Support and its Impact on

Achievement

Nicole Farley

University of San Francisco

June 14, 2014

TEACHER SUPPORT AND STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT2

Introduction

An ongoing issue and topic of interest within the field of

education is the decrease of student engagement in school and its

impact on higher rates of failure, dropping out, and an increased

risk of entering the criminal justice system. Student engagement

in school may be defined as “student's willingness, need, desire

and compulsion to participate in, and be successful in, the

learning process promoting higher level thinking for enduring

understanding” (Bomia et al., 1997).

Literature Review

Current research has argued that engagement can be a result

of either intrinsic or extrinsic motivation. Thus, students are

either engaged for the “inherent satisfaction” of being active in

school (intrinsic), or are engaged because of a separate outcome,

such as receiving praise (extrinsic) (Deci & Ryan, 2000). While

these may hold true in certain instances, the aim of this

research is to focus on external support from teachers as a means

of meeting these needs. For the purposes of this research,

“teacher support,” and/or “teacher caring” may be defined as

showing concern; being compassionate, understanding, and showing


a level of awareness of students’ psychological and developmental

needs. In terms of academic achievement, it will be used as

providing assistance in learning, ensuring understanding of

material, and motivating all students to do their best.

As teachers are central to the learning that comes from the

school environment, it is hypothesized that the level of support

that students perceive from their teachers likely has an impact

on their academic achievement and success. Academic achievement

and success for the purposes of this research can be determined

as high grades such as A’s and B’s.

Furthermore, borrowing from the principle of “labeling

theory” proposed by sociologist Emile Durkheim, the resulting

perceptions that students receive, result in a label of “good

student” versus “bad student.” Thus, level of academic

achievement is not innate to students in and of themselves, but

rather, a product of the social role that they are attempting to

fill. In carrying this perceived label, students fulfill the

prophecy that their teachers create, and this stigma follows them

as they move throughout the school system (Henslin, 2010).

Therefore, it is thought that students who perceive that they are


recipients of a wealth of support from their teachers will be

high academic achievers, while those who perceive low support

from teachers will be lower academic achievers.

Variables: #1 - Student Perceptions of Teacher Support and #2 -

Impact on Academic Achievement

The studies reviewed here were modeled under the similar

theory of self-determination. This theory posits that adolescents

have three fundamental needs that must be met in order to

increase engagement – “competence, the idea that one can

successfully produce desired effects and outcomes; relatedness,

the experience of feeling close and connected to others one

considers significant; and autonomy, the perceptions that one’s

activities and environment are matched and endorsed with the

self” (Hafen et al., 2011). With these needs in mind, the studies

sought to determine the role of teacher support in meeting these

needs.

Beginning with competence, it is essential for teachers to

possess the mindset that all students are capable of succeeding

in the classroom. Zhang, Solomon, and Gu defined competency as a

result of what they coined “expectancy-related beliefs.” They


discovered that students who perceive themselves as highly

capable, and who expect success as a result of their endeavors,

were more likely to put in more effort and remain persistent than

students who feel the opposite (Zhang, Solomon, & Gu, 2012).

As expectancy-related beliefs are a combination of student’s

personal beliefs as well as perceptions of how others view their

capabilities, it appears that teacher support is crucial in

enhancing both areas. Teachers are central to the educational

environment, and they act as “socializers” in influencing

students to achieve in school (Hafen et. al, 2012). Van Ryzin

also found that students who had a positive psychological

adjustment and perceived their school environment optimistically,

were more “hopeful” (Van Ryzin, 2011). Having a higher degree of

hopefulness further motivates students to achieve highly and

pursue more challenging academic goals. In turn, being hopeful

greatly increases their perception of self-competency and

confidence.

With this higher self-confidence, students are better able

to build resiliency and persistence. Students who believe in

themselves and feel that their beliefs are supported by


significant “socializers” are more likely to continue striving

for success even when their first attempts are not fruitful.

Thus, increasing teacher support significantly affects student’s

self-confidence, which in turn affects the likelihood that they

will be motivated, and value success. This further serves to meet

both the adolescents’ intrinsic and extrinsic motivators, and

ultimately, they will do the utmost to achieve their very best.

Just as students must feel competent in a subject to do

well, they must also feel a degree of belonging, or “relatedness”

to their classroom. As developing adolescents, there is a high

psychological need to develop strong positive relationships with

peers, which clearly include other adolescents and adults.

Researchers have made attempts to link between positive adult-

student relationships and academic achievement, and have found

that there is a degree of correlation (Van Ryzin, 2011). However,

it must be noted that not all students have access to positive

adult relationships and/or support. Whether due to internal or

external factors, this lack of positive relationships negatively

affects many students. With this notion in mind, it is important

to look at other potential sources of support.


As students spend a great deal of their time in the

classroom with their teacher, the level of support that students

perceive contributes highly to how much students feel that they

belong, and are “related” to the group. Research has shown that

students who come from schools with low teacher support are more

likely to display increased symptoms of depression and behavioral

challenges, in comparison to students with high teacher support

who show higher levels of emotional competence (Hafen, et. al,

2012). Feeling that a teacher cares about their well-being,

believes in their competence, and expects high achievement from

them serves as both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. As these

sources of motivation are likely contributors to high levels of

engagement, looking at how teacher support may increase and/or

hinder how much a student feels as though he/she belongs plays a

significant role in their overall academic achievement and

success (Van Ryzin, 2011).

In addition, with respect to the developing adolescent

brain, it is essential to take into consideration the effects

that result from possessing a negative label from the teacher.

When students feel as though their opinions and thoughts are not


valuable, they are more likely to remain silent and uncomfortable

with their peers and/or teacher (Cook-Sather, 2007). This level

of discomfort contributes to being unmotivated and disengaged.

This may further contribute to students feeling that their

teachers think that they are “bad” students, and thus, this label

becomes an internalized characteristic that fulfills the prophecy

that their teachers “created” (either voluntarily or

involuntarily).

The degree to which students feel as though they belong,

also has an effect on autonomy. If students are expected to

succeed in the secondary classroom, it is also essential that

they feel some sense of connection to the material that they are

learning (Hafen et al., 2011). Students who were most likely to

engage succeed in the classroom were those whose classrooms

allowed for some level of structured autonomy (Hafen et. al,

2011). Building autonomy has a high relation to the adolescents

building sense of identity. Aspects of an adolescent’s identity

stem from the contributions that they bring to their classroom.

These contributions consist of very individualized opinions,


questions, and experiences that are critical to increasing

engagement, and overall increasing academic achievement.

When students feel that their opinion and experiences are

valued, they are more likely to feel motivated and supported to

take a risk in learning, and ultimately, changing their way of

thinking (Cook-Sather, 2007). This level of motivation can be

enhanced when students and teachers collaborate and share their

ideas, and collaboration can only occur when students are engaged

and participating. Perceiving that their teachers care and

respect their contributions to course material both increases

their developing sense of autonomy and identity, as well as their

level of engagement and motivation to succeed in the course.

In essence, the studies mentioned above conclude that there

is definite promise in furthering research between student

perceptions on level of teacher support and its impact on

academic achievement. As the level of student engagement appears

to be a contributor to how motivated a student is to doing well,

it is essential to examine possible entities such as teacher

support, individuals’ beliefs in their own competency, and how


“close,” or related students feel to their teachers as a segue to

how comfortable they feel in engaging in class.

Developing a greater understanding of the psychological

needs that must be met at different stages of students’ lives is

also essential in determining the most effective and conducive

environment, and can greatly affect how engaged students are in

the classroom. In meeting students’ needs to feel accepted and

involved in their environment (increased sense of autonomy),

giving them a voice and genuinely listening to their perspectives

will make them feel respected and valued and likely contribute to

their level of engagement. As being engaged and involved in class

increases understanding of course material and completion of

required assignments, their level of achievement will be

increased as well.

Current Study

The current study sought to examine the role of student

perceptions of teacher support and its impact on their academic

achievement. In relation to Emile Durkheim’s “labeling theory,”

it appears that there may be a relationship between the way that

student’s perceive that their teachers feel/label them, and their


academic achievement (measured by their overall course grade). It

is thought that students who perceive a higher positive

perception and support from their teacher will correlate with

higher overall academic achievement (as measured by grades of

A/B) than those students that perceive that they have a negative

perception and low support.

Observations made as a counseling trainee deduced that many

at-risk and failing students made comments such as “S/he thinks

I’m a bad student,” “S/he wants me to fail,” and “S/he doesn’t

care about me.” This suggested that students do not feel that

they are supported, and in turn, their psychological and

developmental needs as adolescents were not being met.

Whether a lack of support is apparent or not, it is critical

to bring awareness to the potential possibility. In finding

results, teachers and students will be further able to receive

the support skills necessary to ensure both their overall class

and individual student success. The results can also serve as a

tool for discovering ways to improve the school environment so

that future students and school staff may also benefit.

Research Question


The question that the research aimed to answer is do student

perceptions about how their teachers feel about them have an

impact on their academic achievement?

Hypothesis

The study hypothesized that students who perceive a higher

positive perception and support from their teacher would

correlate with higher overall academic achievement (as measured

by grades of A/B) than those students that perceive that they

have a negative perception and low support (as measured by grades

of D/F).

Research Design

In order to examine these perceptions, the easiest and most

effective means at gathering data was to conduct student

perception surveys that analyzed to what effect students’ grades

were impacted by the perceptions of teacher support that they

felt they received. Administrative approval was first obtained to

distribute the survey, and teachers were approached with

permission to use a small portion of class time to distribute and

allow students to complete the survey. Once permissions from

administration and teachers were obtained, students were given a


parental consent form in the form of “opt-out,” in order to

participate (located in Appendix A). All students were debriefed

regarding informed consent prior to taking the survey. They were

reminded of the option to discontinue response, to withdraw, or

the choice of not participating. Although the results of the

survey themselves are anonymous, responses required students to

include either their name, initials, and/or birthdate so that

their responses could be correlated to their current grade in the

course.

Methods

Variables

For the purposes of this research, “teacher support,” and/or

“teacher caring” may be defined as showing concern; being

compassionate, understanding, and showing a level of awareness of

students’ psychological and developmental needs. In terms of

academic achievement, it will be used as providing assistance in

learning, ensuring understanding of material, and motivating all

students to do their best. Academic achievement and success for

the purposes of this research will be determined as high grades

such as A’s and B’s.


Sample

The study used a convenience sample. Participants were 120

students in two different physics courses. They ranged in ages of

16 to 18, and were multiethnic. Their levels of achievement

ranged from letter grades of A to F on a 4.0 grading scale.

Measures

The survey asked questions using a Likert-scale of 1 to 10,

strongly disagree to strongly agree, and one open-ended question.

The variables measured in the survey regarded how students

perceive that their teacher provides them with support in terms

of assistance with course material, and in creating a

supportive/comfortable learning environment. The questions asked

measured the areas contained in the self-determination theory –

competence, autonomy, and relatedness. The responses to the

surveys were then linked to the student’s current grade to

analyze whether there is a correlation between their perceptions

of their teacher, and how they are actually doing academically.

There is a copy of the survey in Appendix A.

Data Collection


The data was analyzed using SPSS to calculate the average to

the scaled responses, and to discover the potential existence of

a correlation. Manual grouping of common qualitative responses to

the open-ended question was also done to an extent. SPSS provided

histograms and tables accounting for responses across the

classrooms, as well as within each grade (A-F/values 0-4). The

data for those questions which are most reflective of students’

perceptions of teacher support is displayed in tables below,

separated by responses for both Teacher A and Teacher B. Only

those students who offered a response of 6 or higher to the 1-10

scaled response have been included.

Results

Teacher A

CorrelationsGrade V20

Grade

Pearson Correlation

1 .152

Sig. (2-tailed) .199N 73 73

V20

Pearson Correlation

.152 1

Sig. (2-tailed) .199N 73 73


The findings for Teacher A conclude that there is no statistical significance (p=.199) between teacher support and overall academic achievement in this classroom. There are a number of reasons that may contribute to this – Teacher A may present himself as highly supportive across students regardless of their course grade, students may feel personally motivated, orthere is no correlation to detect. Interestingly, responses from Teacher A’s classes are mostly reflective of a potential supportive environment. Responses from grades A-F provide a rangeof perceived support, often with high responses from students achieving lower grades.

Teacher B

CorrelationsGrade V20

Grade

Pearson Correlation

1 .389**

Sig. (2-tailed) .007N 47 47

V20

Pearson Correlation

.389** 1

Sig. (2-tailed) .007N 47 47

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).

The findings for Teacher B conclude that there is statistical significance (p=.007) between teacher support and


overall academic achievement in this classroom. These results maysuggest that Teacher B follows a teaching style that is reflective of the hypothesis – students who are achieving lower grades perceive that they receive less support than those who areachieving higher grades.

Responses for Teacher A

Grade Number of StudentsA/4 9B/3 25C/2 15D/1 14F/0 10

Question #1:My teacher makes me feel that s/he really cares about me.

Grade Mean Response # of Responses % of ResponsesA/4 7.33 7 .777B/3 7.800 22 .888C/2 7.933 13 .866D/1 7.143 11 .785F/0 6.300 7 .70

Perhaps most interesting about this question is the fact that responses from Grades of A and F have the same number of responses, and their percentages areso close in range - .777 and .70, respectively. This suggests that Teacher A may present himself as highly supportive across his students, regardless of their overall course grade, although slightly more supportive of those students who are receiving A’s than those receiving F’s. Curiously, a point ofinterest is the percentage of responses from students within the B-C range. These students not only resulted in the highest mean response, but also in thehighest number of responses. This may suggest that Teacher A is more supportive of these students because they represent the majority, and are therefore easier to reach the maximum number.

Question #2:My teacher believes that I am a good student.

Grade Mean Response # of Responses % of ResponsesA/4 8.444 8 .888B/3 7.800 23 .92


C/2 8.000 14 .933D/1 7.2 12 .857F/0 6.4 9 .9

Responses to this question are interesting in that students who are the lowestachieving, F’s/0’s maintained a higher percentage of response than students who have an A/4 in the class. This is interesting to note, because it epitomizes the question of the study. Although not necessarily reflecting the research question at hand, the responses suggest that high levels of teacher support do indeed create an environment where students are confident in their role as students. However, if those students who are not achieving highly in class feel adequately supported, it poses the question of what other areas exist that must be addressed in order for students to excel?

Question #11:My teacher treats me with respect.


Responses to this question also pose an interesting lens. It is worth noting that students who are the highest achieving answered this question in a mannerthat reflects that they receive the least respect overall. In line with the question at large, it is positive, yet ironic that students across the board feel respected, yet those who maintain “average” grades feel most respected.

Question #12:My teacher checks in with me to make sure that I understand the classwork.


This question specifically measures the role of support in completing classwork. Analyzing mean responses, a trend appears to be present with the exception of grade C/2, wherein which students who are achieving the highest grades perceive that Teacher A checks in with them more than those who are achieving lower grades.


Question #17:My teacher respects my ideas and suggestions.


Interestingly, students who achieved lowest, F/0 perceived that Teacher A respects their ideas and suggestions the most. Again, this supports the idea that Teacher A is perceived by students to be supportive of them regardless oftheir course grade.

Question #18:I think that I am a good student.


There is very little difference amongst all students’ perceptions of themselves as good students. Although this may or may not reflect their perceived level of support from their teacher, it is very likely that the roleof their teachers’ support may act as a contributor.

Responses for Teacher B

Grade Number of StudentsA/4 16B/3 10C/2 5D/1 7F/0 8


Question #1:My teacher makes me feel that s/he really cares about me.


The responses to this question seem to best reflect the level of support that students perceive from Teacher B, and their academic achievement. With regard to the discrepancy between students receiving D/1 and F/0, as students’ gradesdecrease, the level of perceived respect that they feel decreases as well.

Question #2:My teacher believes that I am a good student.


Responses to this question appear to provide a downward trend from highest achieved grade to lowest. These results may suggest that as students’ grade drops in the course, the perceived belief that Teacher B believes in them to be a good student also decreases. This perception could possibly be gained viacomments and/or feedback given to students or possibly through observations.

Question #11:My teacher treats me with respect.


Responses from this question suggest that students perceive that Teacher B respects them more or less dependent on the grade that they are receiving.


Although mean response may suggest something different, percentage of responses expresses a downward trend as grades decrease.

Question #12:My teacher checks in with me to make sure that I understand the classwork.


Responses to this question suggest that a good number of students perceive that Teacher B checks in with them to ensure that they understand their work. A point of interest worth noting is the discrepancy both mean response and percentage of response for those students achieving at a D/1 level. It is curious that their response is the lowest of all, while those achieving with agrade of F/0 responded higher than B/3 or C/2.

Question #17:My teacher respects my ideas and suggestions.

Grade Mean Response # of Responses % of ResponsesA/4 8.94 16 .100B/3 8.5 9 .9C/2 8 4 .8D/1 6.14 5 .714F/0 8 8 .100

The results from this question are promising. Although a number of responses reflect that students may perceive a lack of support from Teacher B, the fact that over 70% of students overall feel that their ideas and suggestions are respected is a useful first step.

Question #18:I think that I am a good student.


Grade Mean Response # of Responses % of ResponsesA/4 9 15 .937B/3 8.7 9 .9C/2 8.6 4 .8D/1 5.29 4 .571F/0 6.87 6 .75

Responses to this question are markedly different for Teacher B than they are for Teacher A. it is apparent that students who are achieving higher grades ofA/4 and B/3, whether due in part from their perceived level of support or intrinsic value, report higher feelings of being a good student than those whoare not achieving as highly, grades D/1 and F/0.

Discussion

Overall, the hypothesis was supported to some degree.

Although a majority of responses from Teacher A’s classes reflect

that students may feel a high level of support across course

grades, the responses from Teacher B’s class were significant

enough to form a correlation. While the hypothesis was not

supported in both classrooms, evidence remains that teacher

support plays a role in student achievement to an extent. For

this reason, some recommendations for teachers are as follows.

In regard to Teacher A, it appears that the manner in which

he teaches creates an environment where in which all students

feel cared for, respected, and involved in their learning

environment. However, there are a couple of student outliers who

need attention. For example, a comment written in the open-ended


question from a student who received an F said that Teacher A

would view him as “that…black kid that’s stupid.” Thus, it might

be useful for Teacher A to meet individually with all of his

students to discuss their progress, check in regarding classwork,

and collaborate on how to solve future problems. Not having much

background knowledge of the student who wrote the comment, it is

uncertain whether it is an accurate reflection of how he is

treated in the classroom, or a personal anecdote, but it is still

worth looking into further.

For Teacher B, it is recommended that he bring his awareness

to the data that has been presented in this study. By paying

attention to how students responded, Teacher B might increase his

cognizance to potential unconscious biases that may be

responsible for why students with higher and lower grades feel

more or less supported. Interestingly, open-ended responses for

Teacher B appear to reflect the hypothesis more so than Teacher

A, where students with lower grades of D/1 and F/0 seem more

negative in their description than those students with A/4, B/3,

and/or C/2. Students with lower grades made statements such as

“I’m lazy,” “Always late and failing,” and that their teacher


“gets frustrated” with them. It is curious as to whether having

this mindset could be a contributor in a student’s decreased work

ethic.

For this reason, it might be helpful for Teacher B to follow

along with Teacher A and have regular, individual check-ins with

students, perhaps especially with those who are achieving lower

grades. It may also be useful for Teacher B to keep a personal

log that tracks which students he meets with, and notes of

comments and/or statements that may address how students are

feeling in terms of their current progress, understanding of

material, etcetera. An effective goal might also be to have

tutoring sessions that are targeted toward those who are not

achieving high grades, rather than offering drop-in, optional

hours during breaks. Perhaps just positively meeting with

students might be enough for students to feel supported and

encouraged to make the extra effort to come in on their own.

With these recommendations in mind, it is also important

that some of the limitations of the study be discussed. While the

responses sought to be reflective of a typical high school level

conceptual physics classroom, certain events may have prevented


this from occurring. To begin with, the sample size was more

reflective of Teacher A’s classes than Teacher B’s. On the day

that the survey was distributed, a field trip took place that

many students taking both classes participated in. Looking at

responses, more of Teacher B’s students were absent from class,

and so more of Teacher A’s students had the opportunity to

participate. For this reason, the sample size is a limitation in

the study. If conducting this study again, a better day to do so

would be on a day not conflicting with a field trip, so that a

more accurate representation of all students could be accounted

for. Ensuring this could potentially increase or decrease results

in support of the hypothesis.

Secondly, because the population of students who are English

Language Learners (ELL) is high at the high school, the potential

risk that not all students had an adequate understanding of the

questions is likely. Not wanting to exclude such a significant

proportion of students, it might be more useful to either discuss

the questions with students beforehand, or even provide an

alternative, adapted version of the survey that is easier to

understand.


Lastly, although the data within the survey was analyzed using

both Excel and SPSS, the

scaling of the survey was not taken much into account. As the

survey asked 18 questions on a Likert scale of 1-10, an overall

response of 162-180 would indicate 90%, or highest perception of

teacher support; 144-161 – 80%, above average perception; 143-126

– 70%, average perception; 125-108 – 60%, below average support;

and 0-107 50% and lower, far below average support. Students’

overall responses were reviewed, but no analysis between overall

results and perceived teacher support was done. In future

studies, it may be effective to further analyze student overall

scores and use them to determine outliers.

Likewise, although the measure provided an open-ended

response, little attention was given to what students wrote in.

although responses were typed up and grouped according to teacher

and grade, very little analysis was made for their responses. In

future studies, it would most likely provide a richer account of

students’ perceptions to include these responses in a grouped

fashion according to similarity in response, to analyze

commonalities between students regarding their perceived


reflection of how their teacher views them as students.

In summary, it appears that although students’ perceived

amount of teacher support may not always manifest itself in

higher achievement, (as in the case of Teacher A), it does appear

to be critical in determining how students feel in terms of

respect, value, and importance. Having these values seems to be a

high contributor to engagement in school, which may indeed lead

to higher academic achievement.

Thus, it is essential that if schools wish their students to

succeed, a step in the right direction is to assist teachers in

such a way that they are providing an environment where students

feel that their contributions are essential to their learning,

that their teachers care about their learning, and that the

environment conveys a feeling of respect. This support for

teachers may come in the form of additional professional

development opportunities, cultural diversity trainings/focus

groups, and opportunities for teachers to participate in self-

reflection. Providing teachers with the support that they need to

create this environment is something that we must begin to do, as

well as continuing to value our students.


References

Bomia, L., Beluzo, L., Demeester, D., Elander, K., Johnson, M., &

Sheldon, B. (1997). "The

impact of teaching strategies on intrinsic motivation."

Champaign, IL: ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early

Childhood Education. p. 294.

Cook-Sather, A. (2007). What would happen if we treated students

as those with opinions that

matter?: The benefits to principals and teachers of

supporting youth engagement in

school. National Association of Secondary School Principals. NASSP Bulletin,

91, 4.

Hafen, C.A., Allen, J.P., Mikami, A.Y., Gregory, A., Hamre, B., &

Planta, R.C. (2011). The

pivotal role of adolescent autonomy in secondary school

classrooms. Journal of Youth &


Adolescence, 41, 245-255.

Henslin, J. M. (2010). Essentials of sociology: A down-to-earth approach.

Boston: Allyn &

Bacon.

Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Intrinsic and extrinsic

motivations: Classic definitions and

new directions. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 25, 54-67.

Van Ryzin, M.J. (2011). Protective factors at school: Reciprocal

effects among adolescents’

perceptions of the school environment, engagement in

learning, and hope. Journal of

Youth & Adolescence, 40, 1568-1580.

Zhang, T., Solmon, M.A., Gu, X. (2012). The role of teachers’

support in predicting students’

motivation and achievement in physical education. Journal of

Teaching in Physical

Education, 31, 329-343.


Appendix A

Student Perception SurveyDirections: Please indicate how much you AGREE with the statements listed below on a scale of 1 – 10. A score of 1 means that the statement DOES NOT apply to you and you DO NOT agree with it. A score of 10 means that you STRONGLY AGREE with the statement and that IT DOES apply to you.

1.) My teacher makes me feel that s/he really cares about me.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Strongly disagree

Somewhat agree

Strongly agree

2.) My teacher believes that I am a good student.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Strongly disagree

Somewhat agree

Strongly agree

3.) I treat my teacher with respect.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Strongly disagree

Somewhat agree

Strongly agree

4.) My teacher’s explanations for class material are useful and helpful to me.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Strongly disagree

Somewhat agree

Strongly agree

5.) My teacher’s style of teaching makes lessons interesting.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Strongly disagree

Somewhat agree

Strongly agree

6.) My teacher gives me feedback.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Strongly disagree

Somewhat agree

Strongly agree

7.) I learn how to correct my mistakes in this class.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10


Strongly disagree

Somewhat agree

Strongly agree

8.) I learn a lot in this class.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Strongly disagree

Somewhat agree

Strongly agree

9.) I like the way that I learn in this class.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Strongly disagree

Somewhat agree

Strongly agree

10.) I speak up and share my ideas and suggestions about classwork.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Strongly disagree

Somewhat agree

Strongly agree

11.) My teacher treats me with respect.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Strongly disagree

Somewhat agree

Strongly agree

12.) My teacher checks in with me to make sure that I understand the classwork.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Strongly disagree

Somewhat agree

Strongly agree

13.) The feedback that my teacher gives me helps me understand how to improve.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Strongly disagree

Somewhat agree

Strongly agree

14.) My teacher notices when I am not participating during class time.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Strongly disagree

Somewhat agree

Strongly agree


15.) My teacher provides us with ample review when learning new material.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Strongly disagree

Somewhat agree

Strongly agree

16.) My teacher is able to answer my questions.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Strongly disagree

Somewhat agree

Strongly agree

17.) My teacher respects my ideas and suggestions.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Strongly disagree

Somewhat agree

Strongly agree

18.) I think that I am a good student.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Strongly disagree

Somewhat agree

Strongly agree

19.) If my teacher were to describe me as a student, I think that s/he would say:


Department of Counseling Psychology2130 Fulton StreetSan Francisco, CA 94117-1071Tel 415.422.6868Fax 415.422.5528

Nicole M. FarleyM.A./P.P.S/LPCC Candidate, University of San FranciscoCounseling TraineeAbraham Lincoln High School2162-24th AvenueSan Francisco, CA 94116

[email protected]

Dear Parents and Guardians of Abraham Lincoln High School students:I am a counseling trainee working under the supervision of the senior

grade-level counselor, Betty Hom. As a student of the University of San Francisco, I am currently enrolled in a Research Methods course, which requires me to conduct research and collect data in an area for which I see that there is a need for improvement and/or support.

mailto:[email protected]


Through observation, I have noticed that many students have had difficulty in passing their required courses, and I would like to gain insightinto why this may be so. Thus, I am asking your permission for your child to complete a short survey that will be administered in their classroom as part of their class-time. The survey will ask questions about student’s feelings regarding the structure of their class, the amount of support/help that they receive, and their overall satisfaction with their school/classroom environment. The survey data will then be compared to students’ grades within their class.

Your child’s responses to the survey as presented in the results of my study will remain anonymous. However, for purposes of linking student achievement to their perceived level of support, I will personally require that students provide me with their initials so that I may access their grade in the class. Once I have linked their grade to their survey, any identifying information will be destroyed.

Your consent and child’s participation is completely voluntary and your child may withdraw at any time. There is no reward for participating or consequence for not participating. If you have any questions or would like further information, you may reach me at [email protected].

Sincerely,Nicole M. Farley

There are two copies of this letter. After signing them, keep one copy for your records and return the other one to your child’s school. Thank you in advance for your cooperation and support.

If you agree to allow your child to participate, please sign below. After signing your name, return this sheet to your child’s school. Please do so by February 14, 2014.

Parent’s Signature: ___________________________________________

Child’s Name: ___________________________________________ (Please Print)

Date: ___________________________________________

mailto:[email protected]


Appendix B

Teacher A responses:


Grade Responses

A

Sarcastic, joke around a lot, but I still know the material overall, I do my work so hopefully I’m a good student

I am smart and have a ton of swag

Good student because you turn in and finished homework on time, but you still need to improve yourself and on tests

You are the master of complaining

I respect my teacher all the time

I work hard and finish work on time and respect everyone in the classroom

Hella smart duh I would be a student who

understands the material being smart

I am an energetic, outgoing, and loud student. I also ask a lot of questions.

B

I join in class conversations and I do most of my homework

I work hard and I am a good student

I do my work, but I need to participate more

I am [attentful] and get what Ineed to done, and I am NOT a distraction to the class

Awesome A hardworking student I am a productive student who

is always interested in each lesson and enjoys every lab he has

My teacher always sit alone andI didn’t talk with others

I am unpredictable He is one of the best I’ve ever

had. He is so good at life. I love him.


You are very smart!!! That I can be a good student if

I try I’m a happy good student He works hard and does most of

his work I am very talkative. But she

does [good] in class and pays attention. She never speaks up well sometimes.

“R is very active and likes to participate in fun activities during class.”

Good “J is a hardworking student who

tries his best, he gives a lot of effort. When he doesn’t understand things he might be lacking motivation to understand further.”

Work hard, smart Hardworking, nice, He would say I’m friendly and

attentive

C

She’s slow but she gets it Outgoing That I’m respectful and I do

work I am a student that does their

work, I participate, I pay attention to him

Am da best Bright I am quiet and I do my work in

class. I am respectful and I pay attention in class

I am a student at ALHS I am [quit] and smart I am smart cool and have a ton

of swag That I draw a lot but still

focuses on lessons and stuff I think that he is a

[hardworker] and good student They try as hard as they can A smart and well-determined


student that excels in all the challenges that I set for my students

D

I’m not sure I’m [kinda] lazy You are smart, but you are lazy

either Great potential I’m a cool guy That I am amazing She is a good person, but she

is lazy sometimes XD So so I can be disorganized, but I’m

smart and understand physics Disorganized, shy child who

tries to understand the work but communicates the work in her own words. She does the work

Idk. [asome] obviously He understands the material,

but needs to increase work ethic

F

Quiet? I don’t really participate so, not sure

Nice Good hard working student He is an ok student but has

potential I’m attentive but I could put

my skills to practice in order to fully understand

I can be a good student and when there are a lot of distractions, you get a little distracted

That I’m a black kid that’s stupid


Teacher B responses:

Grade Responses

A

I am smart but could try way more

I am a smart, good student who participates well but has a problem of doing homework during class

He would say that I’m quiet buta good student, hopefully

He is a great student who is really smart, an active listener, loves to participate,and helps others who are struggling in the class

That I work hard and may get off topic once in awhile

She is very good student like her friend L

He is a good student You are a good student I work hard I need to be quiet sometimes

but I’m still the best student in his class

Tries her best; nice; a little quiet

I’m responsible hard working, sometimes dozes off but stays on tasks every time

He would say that I understand how things in this class work and that I can work quickly andefficiently

I am a very good student, very out spoken, talks a lot but does well in class just need toput more effort in homework

She’s a strange girl with lots of love to give and a bright smile

B

I am a nice guy but messed around too much

I am a good student because I do my work and study for


quizzes That I am smart and nice I think he would say that I am

quiet in class I’m a quiet person but I try to

learn more things in the class I’m a very loud and energetic

student. I like to talk Overall, I’m a good student

just the laziness that gets to me sometimes. Other than that I’m a good student

He is a great student I always come to class focused

and prepared. I do my work and I try to get better everyday

C

I give feedback most of the time always [enteractive]. Somedays I might not say anything but I pay attention

Ok student I have no idea what my teacher

would say about me Loud yet an attentive listener

and a good participant I can get distracted at times

but I always manage to get my work done

D

Mr. C loves me. I am his favorite student. He does a great job in something he wouldsay to me. Just kidding

I am reserved Do complete work That girl over there

F

Has potential but does not put effort in trying my best and gets frustrated with me

You can be a good student, or you’re average

He thinks of me as a good kid and I need to improve as a student a little bit more

Always late and failing. Why doyou even come to class

Quiet, doesn’t ask questions,


participates most of the time That I am active and very

energetic He would say that I’m [am] a

nice, responsible and maybe quiet lady. I should speak up more

He would say that I’m constantly trying to improve inclass

Documents

Student Perceptions of Teacher Support and its Impact on Achievement