Exploring High School Students' Representations of Their Relationships With Teachers Through Content Analysis

• In Event: 54.081 - Poster Session 11
  In Poster Session: 54.081-4 - Teachers and Teaching: Understanding the Social and Cultural Context

Abstract

A systems-based perspective on teacher-student relationships (TSRs) highlights the role of student perceptions or “representational models,” including the potential influence of individual differences (Pianta, Hamre, & Schulman, 2003; Phillippo, 2012). The present study strives for greater conceptual clarity around student perceptions of TSRs and consideration of student differences in representational models. Open-response data (n=1035) from a high school student experiences survey were analyzed and disaggregated by relationship type (positive vs. negative), student gender, and student race. Five categorical codes emerged (Perceived Teaching Effectiveness, Perceived Affinity, Perceived Caring, Perceived Recognition of Student Agency, Perceived Helpfulness), with code distributions varying by different grouping variables. Findings suggest a need for holistic perspectives on TSRs and greater attention to the role of perceived affinity.

Authors

• Pei Pei Liu, Harvard University

• Mandy Savitz-Romer, Harvard University

• John Perella

• Nancy E. Hill, Harvard University

• Belle Liang, Boston College