| Abstract: | Used a longitudinal design to investigate how goals and practices of 1st-grade teachers influenced students' perceptions of school and their classroom behaviors. Before school began, the goals (academic vs social development) and classroom structure (strict vs permissive) of 13 teachers were assessed. 77 children were then interviewed and tested prior to 1st grade and again 7 mo later. Observations were conducted to corroborate self-report data. Results suggest that teachers' beliefs influenced classroom activities, children's behaviors, and children's perceptions of school. Certain combinations of the identified ideologies produced classroom environments which children found anxiety arousing. Clarity of teacher demands may be an important feature of supportive 1st-grade classrooms. (28 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |
