Role of teacher beliefs in grade retention

Abstract

Scope and Method of Study: The purpose of this study was to clarify what beliefs teachers have constructed that cause them to consider grade retention a sound pedagogical practice. Participants in this study were 103 elementary and middle school teachers from a large, urban, mid-western school district. Each participant completed the Teacher Opinion Survey, survey of Personal Experiences and Retention Practices and ten out of one hundred-three participating teachers were interviewed. Data were analyzed to identify trends in the practice of retention related to specific beliefs and demographic characteristics.

Findings and Conclusions: The belief that grade retention improves current academic performance as well as prevents future academic failure was found to be prevalent. English language learners and students identified as immature or unready were widely believed to benefit from retention. Kindergarten and first grade were believed to be the optimal grades for retention. Unfamiliarity with grade retention research was the single largest factor that accompanied teacher beliefs about grade retention. Fifty percent of the teachers in this study consider what other teachers will think of their professional abilities when making decisions about retention. Patterns in teacher responses revealed that teachers with the fewest years of teaching experience viewed retention more positively than teachers with more experience. Teachers with the fewest years of experience and male teachers were the most concerned about how their professional abilities might be viewed by other teachers if they were to promote poorly performing students. Middle school teachers were found to believe that retention injures children's self-esteem, increases behavior problems and leads to dropping out of school before graduation. Teachers considered immaturity, a lack of parental support and environmental factors such as single-parent families and poverty to be factors that negatively affect children�s academic performance.