Teacher Perceptions of the Ideal High School Student in the State Religious Subsystem in Israel as Influenced by Teacher Profile

Abstract

This study presents a constructivistic viewpoint of the ranked order of ideal high school student traits as perceived by state religious teachers in Israel, and an explanation of their preferences based on the teachers' profile. The sample consisted of 357 junior high and high school teachers, who responded to a questionnaire containing 40 student traits and 46 indices on their background, teaching context, and belief system. Academic and religious traits were integrated throughout teachers' preferences, indicating their belief in the mutual importance of these educational goals. Teachers' belief systems explained the most variance in ideal high school student traits. BACKGROUND Purpose of the StudyThe purpose of this study is to: (1) present a multifaceted and multivariate definition of the ideal student, which includes both traits and structures and (2) explain the preference of the teachers by the three main areas of personal background, teaching context, and belief system. As such, this study presents research regarding perceptions