| Scope and method of study. The purpose of this study was to examine the beliefs of African-American students as they relate to teacher characteristics. Participants in this study were 15 African-American high school students from 3 Oklahoma High Schools. The researcher conducted structured interviews with these students in an attempt to answer the following question: What are the characteristics of effective teachers as identified by academically successful African-American high school students?;Findings and conclusions. Results of this study supported the findings of leading researchers in the field of effective teaching. African-American students in this study revealed the following conclusions regarding the teachers they identified as having an effect on their academic success; (1) effective teachers were seen as caring, warm, and humane, (2) effective teachers used a variety of methods in teaching, (3) effective teachers displayed a paternalistic attitude which resulted in students describing their teachers as mothers, dads, and grandmothers, (4) effective teachers were not necessarily identified by race, (5) African-American female teachers had a strong influence on African-American male students, (6) African-American students took pride in seeing successful African-American teachers in positions of authority, (7) African-American students equated being successful with accomplishing goals and/or seeing dreams materialize, (8) effective teachers possessed a positive attitude toward African-American students, (9) effective teachers were willing to perform above and beyond their normal teaching duties, (10) effective teachers were seen as motivators, and (11) effective teachers helped African-American students to realize their self-worth. |
