Approximately one quarter of America's students
leave school prior to graduation. Teaching practices
need to be examined if schools are to effectively deal
with the student population. at highest risk of dropping
out. The purpose of this study was to investigate the
attending behaviors high school teachers directed to
students at high risk of dropping out, and to students
not so identified.
A survey of the literature provided an overview of
related studies which addressed the number of students
who drop out, their reasons for doing so, and alternative
programs for those who have left school. Not found in
abundance were studies linking teachers' classroom
behaviors with effective at risk strategies.
Data regarding teachers' verbal and nonverbal
attending behaviors were gathered in twenty classrooms.
The resulting totals for all at risk and control groups
were nearly equal. However, the types of attending
behaviors directed to the two groups were qualitatively
different. At risk students were praised one third as
often but were criticized seven times as often as their
control group counterparts. Additionally, at risk
students' attention getting behaviors were ignored seven
times as often, and they were physically approached half
as often as control group students.
Anecdotal data revealed contrasting classroom
atmospheres. Some classes were greeted at the door and
were praised by their teachers. Other teachers chastised
classes, spoke negatively about them, or showed little or
no interaction with students in them. / Graduation date: 1991
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ORGSU/oai:ir.library.oregonstate.edu:1957/38068 |
| Date | 12 November 1990 |
| Creators | Mathews, Stephen E. |
| Contributors | Strowbridge, Edwin |
| Source Sets | Oregon State University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
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