Graduation or Drop-out? How Teachers’ Perceptions of the Type of Student, the Expected Path and the Attitude in Kindergarten, First Grade and Second Grade Are Related to Students’ Qualifications at the End of High School
This study examined the links between teachers’ perceptions of their students in kindergarten (type of student, expected path, attitude), the repetition of these perceptions (kindergarten, first grade, second grade), and the students’ qualifications at the end of high school. In total, 131 teachers (32 in kindergarten, 51 in first grade and 48 in second grade) participated in the study in 1992 and 1996. The longitudinal sample comprised 816 students who, at the end of high school, graduated, fell behind or dropped out. The measures were: qualification at the end of high school; type of student; expected path; and teacher’s attitude towards the student. The results show that 74.2% of students perceived by their kindergarten teacher as endearing or indifferent graduated, while 64.0% of those perceived as troublesome or rejected did not graduate. Among those whose paths were expected to be without difficulty, 73.4% graduated, whereas 76.7% of those whose paths were expected to be difficult did not graduate (fell behind or dropped out). Kindergarten teachers’ attitudes were more positive towards students who would graduate than towards those who would fall behind or drop out at the end of high school. Expected paths and teachers’ attitudes in kindergarten predicted students’ qualifications at the end of high school. Furthermore, the number of times that students were identified in kindergarten, first grade or second grade as endearing, troublesome or rejected, that their paths were expected to be with or without difficulties or that teachers did or did not present a positive attitude towards them was also associated with their qualifications. These results show that it is important to pay particular attention to teachers’ perceptions of their students, to ensure early detection and intervention in the educational paths of at risk students.