Teacher Attention as a Controlling Influence of Of Student Classroom Behavior

• Main Author: Smith, LaGrande E.
• Format: Others
• Published: DigitalCommons@USU 1977
• Subjects: teacher attention; classroom; student behavior; influence; positive responses; negative responses; Psychology; School Psychology
• Online Access: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/5845; https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=6887&context=etd

The purpose of this thesis was to assess the influence of the teachers' classroom behavior on students' classroom behavior. Three hypotheses were made as the teacher systematically increases positive responses and decreases negative responses in the classroom, 1) the total time spent with the misbehaving student will decrease, 2) student non-attentive behavior will decrease and student attentive behavior will increase, and 3) there will be an inverse relationship between teacher negative responses and student attentive behavior. Student subjects were selected randomly from a previously selected group of misbehaving students; teacher subjects were 12 volunteers from a Junior High School who wanted to learn more about classroom behavior management. During the treatment process, teachers were to attempt to 1) decrease the amount of teacher negative reaction, 2) increase the amount of teacher positive response, and 3) to implement the various types of methods, procedures, and principles learned in the training course. Six trained observers were used to collect data over a 3-month period. A baseline of classroom behavior was established while the teachers were simultaneously involved in a classroom behavior management training course. Both student and teacher behaviors were computed and graphed on a logarithmic graph. All three hypotheses were confirmed at or beyond the .05 level of significance. Results were discussed in terms of the relationships that exist between the variables, and how they apply to the hypotheses.