Seeing Students: The Power of Teacher Recognition in Alternative Education

• In Event: Poster Session 6
  In Poster Session: Division K Section 3 Poster Session 1

Abstract

This paper presents findings from a qualitative study exploring nineteen alternative high school students’ descriptions and understandings of good teachers. For all participants, a teacher’s ability to care about, understand, and “see” students as worthwhile, valuable, and capable human beings emerged as a key component of effective teacher practice. In response to ongoing debates about teacher quality and effectiveness, this paper foregrounds teacher behaviors and characteristics that at-risk students named as most effective, and posits the simple but profound act of teacher recognition as invaluable for participants’ learning and lives. The paper concludes with implications for teachers, teacher educators, educational leaders, and policy makers working to better develop, support, and retain strong teachers in the highest needs schools.

Author

• Jessica Blum-DeStefano, Teachers College, Columbia University