A study of the relationship among and between peer approval, teacher approval and academic achievement in the elementary school

摘要

PurposeThe purpose of this study were: 1) to determine if there was relationship between peer approval and teacher approval or disapproval; 2) to determine if there was a correlation between peer approval and average achievement in reading and mathematics; and 3) to determine if there was a correlation between teacher approval and average achievement in reading and mathematics.SubjectsThere were 126 respondents from the seven elementary schools selected for the study. Of the 126 subjects, seventy-eight were male and forty-eight were female. There were twelve Caucasians, 113 Blacks and one Hispanic. All of the subjects were in the third grade and from lower to upper middle socioeconomic levels.MethodThree instruments were employed in this study:1. The Personal structured interviews. The first four questions gave a rating for peer approval, the second four for teacher disapproval and the last four for teacher approval.2. The California Achievement Test (CAT). The CAT combines the uses of norm-referenced tests with the objectives-based information of criterion-referenced tests.3. The Pearson Product-Moment Coefficient of Correlation was used to determine if there were significant relationships between peer approval, teacher approval or disapproval and average achievement. Significant r-values were denoted at the .05 and .01 levels of confidence.FindingsThe analysis of data warranted the following findings:1. When peer approval and teacher approval were correlated, the data indicated a correlation of .882 for school u22Au22, .757 for school u22Eu22, and .458 for school u22Fu22; all of which were significant at the .05 level. It also indicated a correlation of .799 for school u22Cu22 and .750 for school u22Gu22 which were significant at the .01 level. However, the findings were insignificant when peer approval and teacher approval were correlated for school u22Bu22 .376 and school u22Du22 .308.2. When peer approval and teacher disapproval were correlated, the data indicated a correlation of .515 for school u22Bu22 which is significant at the .01 level and .640 for school u22Du22 which is significant at the .05 level. However, when peer approval and teacher disapproval were correlated for the following schools, the findings were: school u22Au22 .040, school u22Cu22 .127, school u22Eu22 .624, school u22Fu22 .359, and school u22Gu22 .238.3. When peer approval and average achievement were correlated, the data indicated a correlation of .613 for school u22Cu22 which is significant at the .01 level and .464 for school u22Fu22 which is significant at the .05 level. However, when peer approval and average achievement were correlated for the following schools, the findings were: school u22Au22 .388, school u22Bu22 .043, school u22Du22 .157, school u22Eu22 .655, and school u22Gu22 .371.4. When teacher approval and average achievement were correlated, the data indicated a correlation of .429 for school u22Au22, .726 for school u22Cu22, .990 for school u22Eu22 and .583 for school u22Fu22; all of which were significant at the .01 level. However, when teacher approval and average achievement were correlated for the following schools, the findings were: school u22Bu22 correlated .299, school u22Du22 correlated .157, and school u22Gu22 correlated .263.ConclusionsThe analysis and interpretation of the data seem to warrant the following conclusions:1. There is generally a statistical significant relationship between peer approval and teacher approval.2. There is generally a statistical significant relationship between and among peer approval and achievement and teacher approval and achievement.3. There is a statistical significant relationship between teacher approval and average achievement.4. There is an insignificant or negligible relationship between peer approval and teacher disapproval in all schools, except u22Bu22 and u22Du22.5. Students with low achievement levels were approved of less often than those students on or above the achievement level of their peers.6. Isolates were those students with lowest achievement levels.7. Those who were approved of by their teachers were also approved of by their peers.8. Those students who were approved of most often by their teacher and peers were above grade level.ImplicationsThe conclusions of this study seem to warrant the following implications:1. It appears that teachers emit more approval for those students on or above grade level.2. It appears that students approve of more often those students that are approved of by their teacher.3. It appears that factors other than achievement are involved in the approval process, i.e., appearance, attitude, socioeconomic background and values.4. It is apparent that teacher approval greatly influences peer approval regardless of achievement or socioeconomic background.RecommendationsIt is the belief of the writer that the findings of this study warrant the following recommendations:1. That more research in the area of peer approval, teacher approval and their relationship to academic achievement be conducted.2. That teacher training institutions and universities include in their curriculum courses of study that will prepare teachers to meet each studentu27s individual need for approval and acceptance.3. That teachers use sociometric techniques in the classroom to become cognizant of isolates.4. That teachers use results from sociometric instruments to create a classroom atmosphere which would improve peer status within groups, thus improving the opinion of students toward each other.