Girls Are the Best, Boys Are a Pest? Internal and External Forces Affecting Teachers' Teachability Perceptions

• In Event: Sheraton Roundtable Session Seven
  In Roundtable Session: Sociology of Education SIG Roundtables: Gender Equity in School and Out-of-School Contexts (Table 13)

Abstract

Teachability perceptions reflect teachers’ normative and academic expectations toward students. Teachers in low-SES schools or schools with mostly boys have been shown to perceive students as less teachable. It remains to be seen whether certain teacher features, like efficacy or trust, could act as buffers against lower teachability perceptions in challenging school contexts. Multilevel analysis was carried out on data of 1247 teachers gathered in 59 schools (2012-2013). Lower teachability perceptions were found in low-SES schools and schools with mostly boys. Teacher efficacy was associated with teachability, but only teacher trust outweighed the association of teaching in schools with mostly boys and lower teachability perceptions. Trusting teacher-student relationships might be a key factor to overcome gender differences in teacher perceptions.

Authors

• Lennart Van Eycken, Ghent University
  Presenting Author

• Jannick Demanet, Ghent University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Mieke Van Houtte, Ghent University
  Non-Presenting Author