The perceived and observed role of teachers in students' performance : a year 5 group study in a primary state school

Abstract

Underachievement, self-perception, teacher expectations and self-fulfilling . prophecies have been and still are very_ strong debatable .issues in educational research. This study has amalgamated these themes and analysed them in the . light of espoused and in-use theories as conceptualised by Arygris & Schon (1974). Furthermore, this theoretical research was placed wUhin the Let Me Learn (LML) framework with the intent to create an awareness of the diverse groups of learners especially with regard to how certain manifested characteristics can be misinterpreted in the absence of knowledge of learning patterns. Such framework hopes to provide educators with a tool which can help them to reach more the children who are struggling. The instruments used for data collection varied from questionnaires,. surveys to in-class observations. Analysis of these tools revealed that irrespective of any tool used to unlock the will to learn, unless teachers. move away from their personal and cultural judgements and start providing a conducive learning environment minimal progress can be registered. The evidence is indicating that teachers are . attributing students' underachievement to the students fault thus shifting their responsibility to improve the situation The notion that all students can achieve to different levels still has to be further embraced by classroom practitioners and educators at large.