Date of Conferral

2015

Degree

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

School

Education

Advisor

David Weintraub

Abstract

Administrators in a school district in north central Kansas implemented the Teacher Expectation and Student Achievement (TESA) professional development program (PD) to address ineffective instructional practices of K-12 teachers. TESA PD was designed to build and promote teacher-student interactions, enhance students' academic performance, teach students self-discipline, and improve the class environment so that students can work and study in diverse settings. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the classroom experiences and perceptions of 10 teachers who integrated teaching interactions from the TESA program into their daily lessons. Brophy and Good's expectation theory holds that teacher interactions with students are impacted by exchanges between teacher and student and served as the conceptual framework. Qualitative data were gleaned from in-depth interviews, observations, and questionnaires and were analyzed using open coding and category construction for patterns, relationships, and themes. Findings indicated that TESA PD assisted these 10 teachers in how to build relationships with their students; how relationship building impacted teacher-student relationships; and how teacher expectations of students, regardless of students' achievement level and diverse backgrounds, impacted student academic performance. To improve relationship building of teachers and students, it is recommended that the TESA PD program be ongoing. Implementing the TESA interactions may contribute to positive social change by allowing students to connect to and communicate with the teacher; accept direction and praise from the teacher;, and trust the teacher, which, ultimately may lead to higher levels of academic success.

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