"What Do Good Teachers Do?" Middle School Youth of Color Conceptualize Good Teaching

• In Event: Creating a Culture of Care: The Importance of Student-Teacher Relationships

Abstract

Over 50 million students are enrolled in K-12 schools in the US, yet most of the literature on conceptions of “good teaching” focuses narrowly on White students and teachers within higher education. Good teaching conceptualized by these teachers includes perception of teaching methods and teaching philosophy (e.g., Arnon & Reichel, 2007; Nasser-Abu Alhija, 2017). There is a dearth of literature regarding K-12 students’ conceptions of what makes a “good teacher,” thus limiting our understanding of K-12 students’ expectations of their teachers. Previous meta-analyses in non-higher ed school contexts have found evidence that teacher-student relationships are an important factor for academic engagement and affective and behavioral outcomes (e.g., Roorda et al., 2011). Further, K-12 students of color experience more hostile teacher relationships (e.g., Carnoy & García, 2017; Gordon, 2018). When thinking about creating more equitable learning spaces for youth of color, it is important to better understand how these students conceptualize what it means to be a good teacher, as this knowledge may help structure teacher training and professional development opportunities that match their needs and expectations.

This study utilized data from a qualitative study on middle school students’ experiences with school climate, including their perceptions of teachers. Sixteen students (12 male, four female; 11 identifying as Latinx, two as Black, two as biracial, and one as Asian) comprise the present analytic sample. Content analysis was guided by the question, “how do students of color define a good teacher?” Inductive coding (Corbin & Strauss, 2014) was used to extract major themes that emerged from the data.

Preliminary analysis reveals that the students conceptualize “good” teachers as adults who encourage students to be their best selves, in a holistic manner, not simply academically. Almost all participants stated that good teachers “help you out.” Students characterized good teachers as caring, good listeners, and teachers that are not just focused on academic outcomes for their students, but also the social and emotional well-being of their pupils. Participants noted that good teachers notice and respond to students’ emotions appropriately, staying after class to talk one-on-one with students who seem upset or sad. Additionally, while students expressed their needs to be treated nicely and fairly, they also highlighted that good teachers push them to work harder, stay with challenging material longer, and strive for future life goals. Students appreciated extra, one-on-one academic assistance from teachers, which signaled to them that teachers really cared about their students.

Students of color conceptualize teaching in a holistic manner- good teachers care about their academic, social, and emotional well-being. Their definition of a good teacher aligns with the emerging social-emotional learning movement emphasizing the importance of social, emotional, and cognitive development in the pursuit of better learning (Aspen Institute, 2019). Equitable academic spaces are derived from a foundation of caring relationships that see children holistically, as well. Students of color feel supported when teachers actively listen and respond to their hopes and needs, beyond the classroom walls.

Authors

• Anna Skubel, Boston University

• Tina M. Durand, Boston University