A MODEL OF STUDENT ENGAGEMENT AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT: THE ROLE OF TEACHER-STUDENT RELATIONSHIPS AND TEACHER EXPECTATIONS
by
AJA C. TEMPLE
MAY 2012
Advisor: Dr. Jina Yoon
Major: Educational Psychology
Degree: Doctor of Philosophy
The purpose of this study was to examine patterns of academic achievement among minority students and investigate teacher-student relationships, teachers\u27 classroom and future educational expectations for students, and students\u27 levels of classroom engagement in order to better understand their patterns of academic achievement. Participants (n=522) were students in grades four through six from a suburban district in Michigan. Student achievement varied according to both gender and ethnicity in this study. Teacher expectations did not differ as a function of gender or ethnicity. Perceptions of the teacher-student relationship differed significantly for Hispanic students, with males reporting more clarity of expectations, consistency of response, adjustment of teaching strategies, and instrumental help from their teachers. Engagement did not mediate the relation between teacher-student relationships and student achievement in this study, but was associated with student rule compliance. Student compliance was related to perceptions of the relationship. A separate model testing the associations between teacher-student relationships, teacher expectations, and student achievement was significant for both the full sample and African American subgroup. Perceiving higher teacher expectations predicted perceptions of more involvement, structure, and autonomy support from teachers. Perceived relationship was negatively associated with overall GPA. Higher achievement outcomes were associated with both teacher expectations and teacher-student relationships. A moderating effect of gender was supported in this study, showing the model as most relevant to the achievement of African American males
