Teachers' perceptions of academic failure: Is it worth to bother about unsuccesful pupils?

Abstract

We analyzed the convictions of the teachers about scholastic failure and their perception of the activities they use in work with unsuccessful pupils. The theoretical basis for our research was the belief that there is a connection between the teacher's convictions and their everyday practices. The aim was to examine: 1) the teachers' convictions about the nature of academic failure, traits of the failing students, adequacy of after-class sessions and group work in overcoming the problem of academic failure, and 2) the teachers' perception of their own responsibility and engagement in supporting failing pupils. A set of parametric statistical techniques was used to analyze the responses of 1441 elementary-school teachers to the items related to academic failure in the questionnaire about current school problems. The results show that 1) the teachers have optimistic convictions about cognitive abilities of failing pupils and see after-class sessions as a good opportunity to work with them; they state that 2) they additionally prepare classes for work with failing pupils and stimulate them during regular classes and believe that failing pupils are successful in outdoor activities; 3) they have no definite opinion about the role of the teacher and adequacy of group work in overcoming the problem. The concluding observations stress the need for a detailed analysis of the activities based on the teacher's convictions about academic failure and support to failing pupils.

Keywords

• the teacher's convictions about academic failure
• the teacher's perceptions
• failing pupils
• the teacher's activities
• after-class sessions