Teacher Attitudes and Influence on Student Academic Lives: Perceptions of High School Students

The attitudes of teachers towards their students are of utmost importance in contributing to students’ academic development. This small scale qualitative study investigated the perceptions of 36 students from five different high schools on teacher attitudes and the influence of these attitudes on their lives. Findings suggested that perceived positive attitudes such as being patient and compassionate supported students’ self-confidence helping them love the lessons, socialize, develop their personalities, recognize and improve their abilities, potentials, and personal qualities. In contrast, perceived negative attitudes such as being humiliating and biased led to psychological problems, low academic success, and low self-confidence.