School-related attitudes of culturally disadvantaged elementary school children.

Abstract

A version of the Semantic Differential was used to sample attitudes of 350 children in the 4th, 5th, and 6th grades of 2 elementary schools. Compared to the other schools in the same city, School 1 was low on socioeconomic indicators, School 2 was near the median. Children in School 1 had significantly higher evaluative scores for "my school books," "having to keep quiet," "following rules," and "my school building." Children in School 2 were significantly more positive toward "my teacher," "father," and "college student." As grade in school increased, evaluative scores became significantly less positive for a variety of stimuli, including "my school books," "my classroom," "my teacher," and "me." Attitudes toward several stimuli were similar for boys and girls in School I but markedly different for boys and girls in School 2.

School-Related Attitudes in Middle-School Age Students

“…The present results extrapolate the findings of three previous studies, that is, Neale and Proshek (1967) on elementary children, Wright (1962) on high school subjects, and Yamamoto and Wiersma (1968) on college subjects, in suggesting that students are oriented a good deal less favorably to teachers than to parents. In fact, parent was usually rated at the top and teacher at the bottom among the four people.…”

“…In the conclusion of their cross-sectional study of culturally advantaged and disadvantaged elementary children, Neale and Proshek (1967) suggested that there seems to be a systematic change in attitudes toward school as a function of grade level. "Evaluation of a variety of school-related phrases were increasingly negative as grade in school increased.…”

“…Wright (1962), in a study of 105 British secondary school students, suggested that these adolescents were more closely identified with their parents than with teachers. Neale and Proshek (1967) reported that, among 350 children in the fourth, fifth, and sixth grades, a systematic change in school-related attitudes occured so as to make their evaluations of such concepts as "my teacher/' "my classroom/' "me," "my school books," "following rules," "talking in front of class," or "having to keep quiet," increasingly negative as grade in school increased.…”

Explaining School Performance in Literature: some Strategies of Causal Analysis

“…There is much evidence that attitudes are influenced by background. Thus, Neale &Proshek (1967), andGlick (1970) have noted that the socioeconomic status of the child's family is positively related to attitudes toward school, though this relationship is less tenuous than was believed at first because lower class students may be more susceptible to teacher influence (Yee 1966(Yee , 1968.…”

Psychologists' priorities: Premium on developing understanding of self and others

“…The relationship between personaIity factors, such as self-concept, and academic achievement (Gordon, 1966;Neal & Prosher, 1967) is justification for the school psychologist to attempt to influence and modify curriculum to meet the child's emotional needs. As Kennedy (1971) suggested, school psychologists should "employ models that encourage developmental and preventive (or positive mental health) programs .…”