| Little is known about student perceptions of effective teacher behaviors in the secondary classroom, yet these perceptions can impact how students respond to teachers and how students learn in these classrooms. The purpose of this study was to examine how high school students perceive teacher behaviors, including verbal and body language, facial expressions, attitudes, and teaching styles, in terms of influencing the learning environment as well as motivating students to learn. The theoretical framework for this study was Rosenthal's teacher expectation effect. This qualitative phenomenological study collected and analyzed data from focus group discussions, individual interviews, and journal writings with high school students from three high schools in two southern states concerning students' perceptions of their experiences with teachers. A convenience sample of 38 students participated in the focus group discussions, and of these, 15 students were chosen to be interviewed. Only 9 of the 38 students chose to keep journals. An ongoing iterative process of data analysis using open coding established patterns, themes, and categories from the data. The study found that students perceived teacher behaviors as influential to their academic success. Students perceived welcoming, helpful teachers who communicated positive expectations for students' success as effective teachers. The study also identified teacher attitudes and behaviors that students experienced as disruptive to their learning, such as teacher apathy and disorganization. This study may foster positive social change in education by informing teachers of teacher behaviors effective for student learning through teacher preparation and professional development programs that specifically address this issue. |
