| This research study was designed to investigate the relationship between high school students' perceptions of teacher respect and the educational outcomes of academic achievement, attendance, and discipline problems. This study also extended and replicated the research of D. Ellis (1997) in order to investigate the generalizability and efficacy of his findings. A review of the literature demonstrated that positive student-teacher relationships are associated with improved academic performance and affective outcomes. Moreover, respect from teachers was found to be important to students and the quality of students' relationships with teachers seemed predicated on the level of respect received from teachers and other adults.;The sample for this study included 511 high school students attending two public high schools in Connecticut. A self-administered questionnaire entitled the Perception of Teacher Respect Survey (PTRS) was used to collect information about high school students' perceptions of teacher respect. The outcome variables, which included grade point average, absences, and discipline problems, were collected using student educational records and self-report assessments. The demographic variables of gender, grade level, race/ethnicity, and instructional level are also examined. The data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) 12.0 for Windows. Specifically, descriptive statistics, Pearson Product Moment Correlation, One Way Analysis of Variance, and Independent Samples t-test were calculated using student records, demographic data, and the total scale score from the PTRS.;Results of this study indicated that students' perceptions of teacher respect are positively correlated with academic achievement and negatively correlated with absenteeism and discipline problems. Furthermore, students' who perceived high levels of teacher respect had higher academic achievement and fewer absences and discipline problems. Independent samples t-tests and one-way analysis of variance revealed significant differences for students' perceptions of teacher respect by gender, race/ethnicity, and instructional level. No significant differences were found by grade level.;In general, this research study provides evidence that students' who perceive teachers as respectful tend to have higher grades, lower absenteeism, and fewer discipline problems. Based on the findings and limitations of the study, implications for educational practice and recommendations for future research were discussed. |
