Teacher Acceptance Beliefs

• In Event: Moscone Center North Roundtable Session 11
  In Roundtable Session: The Impact of Relationships and Perceptions on the Lives of Teachers

Abstract

Teacher Acceptance Beliefs are defined as a teacher’s willingness to believe that all students, regardless of background, behavior, or ability, belongs in their classroom. The Teacher Acceptance Belief Scale is a 9-item scale used to measure the beliefs of 301 teachers through an online survey. Results from this study indicate that most teachers in the study had high levels of acceptance of students. There were no differences by teaching experience or role (e.g., classroom or elective teacher) in acceptance beliefs. Secondary teachers and teachers with Masters or Doctoral degrees had less acceptance of students in their classroom than elementary school teachers with Bachelor’s degrees. Teachers in public magnet schools had lower levels of acceptance than teachers in neighborhood schools.

Authors

• Hope Elisabeth Wilson, University of North Florida

• John Wesley White, University of North Florida