Teacher Behavioral Practices: Relations to Student Risk Behaviors, Learning Barriers, and School Climate.
Student behavioral problems pose a myriad of challenges for schools. In this study, we examine the relations among teacher and school level constructs (i.e. teacher collaboration, supervision/discipline, instructional management) and student related outcomes (i.e. high risk behaviors, barriers to learning, student social behavioral climate) Teachers across 29 high schools, in a large urban school district serving primarily low income students, completed self report surveys. Multilevel regression was used to test both individual and school level predictors of student outcomes. Findings suggest that teacher practices at the individual and school levels are linked to student high risk behaviors, barriers to student learning, and school climate. More specifically, findings indicate that better supervision/discipline and instructional management are associated with fewer high risk behaviors and barriers to learning. More instructional management is also linked to positive social behavioral climate. Results from this study highlight the association between teacher practices and a range of student related problem behaviors, and suggest that system level interventions in the school may have positive effects.