TEACHERS PERCEPTIONS OF STUDENT BEHAVIORS DURING TESTING

The purpose of this research was to examine the
effects of standardized testing on student behavior
as perceived by their teachers. The study consisted
of an online survey of 63 teachers and four
individual interviews. Participants in the study
were 63 teachers in grades kindergarten through
fifth grade from two northeastern Oklahoma
elementary school districts, and from a local
university affiliate of a National Writing Project.
Each participant completed an online survey. Four
teachers were interviewed, two from an urban
district and two from a suburban district. The
methodological framework was a qualitative,
hermeneutic phenomenological approach to human
science. Six themes emerged from the data analysis.
The themes identified included the following: (1)
teacher memories of testing, (2) helplessness, (3)
accountability and curriculum, (4) community, (5),
nurturing, and (6) changes. The study found
teachers perceived many changes in student behavior
during testing; teacher memories of testing impact
role of nurturing during testing; and the classroom
physical environment changes during testing.

Autorentext

Debbie Landry is an assistant professor of elementary education at a university in Oklahoma. She is a former kindergarten and second grade public school teacher in Oklahoma. Debbie has masters degrees from Troy State University and from Marymount University, and a doctorate in curriculum and instruction from Oklahoma State University.

Klappentext

The purpose of this research was to examine the effects of standardized testing on student behavior as perceived by their teachers. The study consisted of an online survey of 63 teachers and four individual interviews. Participants in the study were 63 teachers in grades kindergarten through fifth grade from two northeastern Oklahoma elementary school districts, and from a local university affiliate of a National Writing Project. Each participant completed an online survey. Four teachers were interviewed, two from an urban district and two from a suburban district. The methodological framework was a qualitative, hermeneutic phenomenological approach to human science. Six themes emerged from the data analysis. The themes identified included the following: (1) teacher memories of testing, (2) helplessness, (3) accountability and curriculum, (4) community, (5), nurturing, and (6) changes. The study found teachers perceived many changes in student behavior during testing; teacher memories of testing impact role of nurturing during testing; and the classroom physical environment changes during testing.