Academically resilient students: searching for differential teacher effects in mathematics

ABSTRACT

This paper examines the extent to which teacher factors of the dynamic model of educational effectiveness can explain variation in student achievement in mathematics. It also searches for the extent to which any of these factors matters more for academically resilient students than for all the other low-socioeconomic-status students. Participants were all teachers (N = 66) of 14 schools in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas who teach mathematics to students of Grades 4–6 (N = 904). Teacher factors were measured through a student questionnaire, whereas mathematics achievement at the beginning and the end of the school year was measured through written tests. Student background characteristics were measured through a student questionnaire. Information on parents’ occupational status was also collected. Multilevel modelling analysis revealed that all teacher factors explain variation in mathematics achievement. Differential effects for all factors but modelling and assessment were identified. Implications of findings are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Educational effectiveness research
• differential teacher effectiveness
• academic resilience
• quality of teaching
• multilevel modelling

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Maria Anastasou

Maria Anastasou is a PhD student at the Department of Education of the University of Cyprus. She has participated in several international projects on educational effectiveness and school improvement. Her research interests lie in the area of educational effectiveness. More specifically, she is interested in examining the impact of teaching behaviour on academically resilient students.

Leonidas Kyriakides

Leonidas Kyriakides is Professor of Educational Research and Evaluation at the Department of Education of the University of Cyprus. His main research interests are in the area of educational effectiveness and improvement and especially in modelling the dynamic nature of educational effectiveness and in using effectiveness research to promote quality and equity in education. Leonidas acted as chair of the EARLI SIG on Educational Effectiveness and as chair of the AERA SIG on School Effectiveness and Improvement.