ERIC Number: ED646349
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2022
Pages: 146
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: 979-8-8375-2789-0
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
The Complexity of Teacher Interactions with At-Risk Students
Kimberly A. Levin
ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, Lehigh University
The true purpose of this study is to contribute to researchers' and practitioners' understanding of the power of Teacher-Student Relationships (TSRs) relative to at-risk students' graduation status. Much of the research surrounding dropouts focuses on root causes like attendance, retention, and families' economic status. However, minimal research looks at whether researchers and practitioners can use building-level data to predict, intervene, and prevent student dropout at the high school level through the lens of TSRs. Using quantitative methods, this study replicated Allensworth and Easton's (2007) study of Chicago Public Schools' at-risk student population to identify potential dropouts in three graduation cohorts of a single, medium-sized, suburban, public high school. After determining the students' ultimate graduation status compared to the prediction, the students whose graduation status was incorrect according to the data in the replication became the focus of the second half of the study. Additionally, the study aimed to determine whether teacher years of experience had a significant influence on the students' graduation outcomes. Finally, the study utilized the resultant group of incorrectly predicted dropouts (push outs) and graduates (pull ins) to evaluate their teacher networks using social network analysis and t-tests to determine the significance of centrality measures on their ultimate graduation status. This study found that by utilizing the students' attendance and academic metrics outlined in Allensworth and Easton's (2007) study, students' graduation outcomes were correct 91.34% of the time. Utilizing this process in a single setting is a valuable way for practitioners to identify their at-risk population of students to intervene before students drop out of high school. Teacher experience was not significant relative to students' ultimate graduation result except in two cases, nor was degree centrality. However, the social networks of pull in at-risk students for all three cohorts showed that they had more and regular access to a wider variety of adults during their time in school compared to push out at-risk students. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
Descriptors: Teacher Student Relationship, Interaction, At Risk Students, Graduation, Predictor Variables, Dropout Characteristics, Dropout Prevention, Suburban Schools, High School Students, Teaching Experience, Teacher Influence, Dropouts, High School Graduates, Attendance, Academic Achievement, Social Networks
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Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Education Level: High Schools; Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
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Author Affiliations: N/A