CHAPTER II

LITERATURE REVIEW

The section contains a review of the write-ups, readings and studies related to the

present study in order to determine the similarities and differences of the findings

between the past and the present studies. It also aims to give insight into the aspects of

the problem that are critical and controversial.

There are several factors affecting the student’ academic performance. Some are home,

school, teacher, and student factors. Most of the factors are home related: family size,

financial burden, work at home, parental attitude towards education and parenting styles.

When it comes to school, relationship between the teacher and the students and the

distance of the school from home are some factors that affect. However, the student

himself or herself contributes to the case particularly the peer group influence. It reflects

the student’s values and priorities when it comes to the life’s choices. For example, the

choice to study hard and give a focus on the study. The teacher qualities and capabilities

also affect the performance of the students in their studies. Some of the attributes of the

teacher like teaching experience, teacher attitude towards students, and teacher training

can highly affect the student’s perception on the study.

The geographical location of the school is another factor that affects the student

performance. The school setting must be accessible to the transportation and other public

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amenities that add comfort to the ways of life. Student’s effort and initiative is another

factor being considered as well as the age of the student. Moreover, the learning

preferences of the learners must also be put into the limelight.

The aptitude or the learner’s skills must be honed and well directed because the student’s

progress will depend on how their interest is tapped and developed. Multi-intelligences

should be strengthened to give us justice as to what the learners are inclined into.

The academic performance of the learners must therefore be viewed on the

aforementioned factors and may this article provide some ideas for some corrective and

tangible measures that would lead to the understanding of the issue (Garcia, 2017).

Personal Factors

As cited in Gulf Times, 2019 “It’s not enough to be smart and hardworking and students

must also be able to understand and manage their emotions — a skill known as emotional

intelligence — to do better at school than their less skilled peers as measured by test

scores, says a study”.

The concept of emotional intelligence as an area of academic research is relatively new

but there is evidence that social and emotional learning programmes in schools are

effective at improving academic performance.

“Although we know that high intelligence and a conscientious personality are the most

important psychological traits necessary for academic success, our research highlights a

third factor, emotional intelligence, that may also help students succeed,” said Carolyn

MacCann from University of Sydney.

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MacCann and her colleagues analysed data from more than 160 studies, representing more

than 42,000 students from 27 countries, published between 1998 and 2019.

More than 76 per cent were from English-speaking countries and the students ranged in

age from elementary school to college.

The researchers found that students with higher emotional intelligence tended to get

higher grades and better achievement test scores than those with lower emotional

intelligence scores.

What was most surprising to the researchers was the association held regardless of age,

said the study published in the journal Psychological Bulletin.

As for why emotional intelligence can affect academic performance, MacCann believes a

number of factors may come into play.

“Students with higher emotional intelligence may be better able to manage negative

emotions, such as anxiety, boredom and disappointment, that can negatively affect

academic performance,” she said.

“Also, these students may be better able to manage the social world around them, forming

better relationships with teachers, peers and family, all of which are important to academic

success.”

MacCann cautions against widespread testing of students to identify and target those with

low emotional intelligence as it may stigmatise those students.

Instead, she recommends interventions that involve the whole school, including additional

teacher training and a focus on teacher well-being and emotional skills. – IANS

In the year 2019,Daily Observer published an article that Jamaican youth who reside in

ghettos graduate from high school with little or no qualification; however, there are a

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number of leading factors which cause this to happen. They include poverty, poor

parenting, and underused potential.

Parents play a vital role in the lives of their children. They are usually the ones who

provide support and guidance to their children throughout their adolescent years.

Whenever that level of support is not present in children’s lives very often they become

misguided and fall as victims of peer pressure since they have no one around to guide

them. Many end up skipping classes because they don’t see the need of an education,

while others become dropouts and gang members, who in the long run get incarcerated.

The school environment exposes students to a lot of different activities that students can

use to build their skills and potential. However, the school system places a lot of emphasis

on students performing academically rather than allowing them the opportunity to explore

and find their niche. Albert Einstein said, “Everybody is a genius, but if you judge a fish

by its ability to climb a tree it will live its entire life believing it is stupid.” Hence, a

student who has the potential to excel at sports might not perform academically in class,

As an innate phenomenon, motivation is influenced by four factors of context

(environment and external stimuli), temper (the internal condition of an organism), goal

(goal of behavior, purpose and inclination) and instruments (instruments for achieving the

goal). In order to

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achieve their goals, needs and instincts, human beings acquire the sufficient motivation.

Particularly with respect to students, motivation for academic achievement is of great

importance. By such motivation people are stimulated to successfully complete an

assignment, achieving a goal or a degree of qualification in their professions .

Accordingly motivation defines the reasons behind people’s behavior and determines why

they behave in a particular way. Motivated behaviors are energetic, oriented and

permanent. In educational perspective, motivation has a multi-dimensional structure which

is correlated with learning and academic motivation.

There are different interpretations of motivation. In the discipline of education motivation

is a tridimensional phenomenon consisting of individual’s beliefs in ability in carrying out

a specific task, reasons and goals of the individual in doing the task and the emotional

response concerning carrying out the task.

Psychologists have noted that motivation should be taken into account in education

because of its effective relationship with new learning, abilities, strategies and behaviors-

and they have presented motivation for academic achievement as one of the preliminary

constructs for defining such type of motivation. Motivation for academic achievement is

attributed to behaviors which lead to learning and achievement. In other words, motivation

for academic achievement is such a pervasive inclination towards doing a task

successfully in a particular context and assessing the performance spontaneously. The bulk

of behaviors indicating the academic motivation involves insisting on doing difficult

assignments, hardworking or effort into learning to reach mastery and choosing

assignments which need great effort.

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Accordingly, motivation for academic achievement, or internal motivation, is a psycho-

cognitive condition which is acquired once the individual perceive him/ herself to have

autonomy. As an instance personality variables of students in general and selfesteem and

motivation for academic achievement in particular have intrinsically affected the learning

and academic achievement. Others directed their studies towards integrating intellectual

ability, learning style, personality and motivation for academic achievement as the

predictors of academic achievement in higher education.

Moreover, motivational damages on one hand caused a kind of pessimism, anxiety and

depression and on the other hand resulted in academic performance failure in students.

(Contributed article by Panay News, 2019)

An article of Hindustan times, Nov. 2019 published the study, led by Dr James Wakefield

from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), looked at the amount of time first-year

university students spent on Facebook, and the impact it had on their grades.

The research showed that while high achieving students were not affected by the amount

of time on Facebook, belowaverage students had significantly lower grades with greater

Facebook use.

“Our research shows time spent on social networking platforms puts lower academic

achievers at higher risk of failing their course,” said Dr Wakefield.

Students taking part in the study spent on average nearly two hours a day on Facebook,

however, some were on the social networking site in excess of eight hours a day.

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“Lower achieving students may already be grappling with self-regulation and focus, so it

seems time spent on Facebook provides a further distraction from studies,” Dr Wakefield

said.

“We found that if they used Facebook for three hours a day -not substantially higher than

the average of just under two hours -- the difference was around six marks in a 60 mark

exam or 10%,” added Dr Wakefield.

The research, recently published in -- Computers and Education -- with co-author Dr

Jessica Frawley from the University of Sydney, aims to help Quitting Facebook can

escalate exam results below average studentsbetter understand the impact of social

networking use on a student’s educational achievement.

While the research applies to university students studying STEM and business degrees, it

is likely to also be relevant to high school students who use social media.

More than 500 students enrolled in the first year subject ‘Introductory Accounting’ at an

Australian university took part in the study, with an average age of 19.

Researchers assessed the students’ general academic achievement using their weighted

average mark (WAM) across all of their studies and surveyed them about their Facebook

use.

They also controlled for other factors that might influence their achievements, such as

whether they were planning to major in accounting, as well as their age and gender.

“Unlike other research on social networking use, we were able to tease out the differing

impact on above-average students compared to below-average students,” Dr Wakefield

said.

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“It appears that for students with lower academic achievement, the use of social

networking sites replaces study time, whereas high achieving students are able to juggle

both,” he said.

Dr Wakefield says students with below-average grades would benefit from switching off

notifications on their phones, and either quitting or reducing time spent on Facebook.

“Try to get into a mode where you can study without looking at your phone or logging on

to social networking sites,” he suggested.

Dr Wakefield also recommended educators avoid using social networking sites to

communicate with students regarding assignments and learning activities.

“Some educators have embraced sites such as Facebook as a tool for engagement, learning

and group assignments,” said Dr Wakefield.

“However our research suggests educators should use Facebook only for a specific

purpose, rather than to communicate with students more generally,” he said.

The research also looked at why students were using Facebook -- whether to keep in touch

with family and friends, for entertainment or for study purposes.

However, even when students used Facebook primarily for educational purposes, it was

still a problem for lower-performing students.

Home-related Factors

According to Lea L. Ocampo, 2015 there are different reasons why a learner gets poor

academic performance. One of the contributing factors is the economic status of the

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family. According to Hart of Demand Media each year students attend schools that

represent a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds. Socioeconomic status refers to the

level of

education, income, and professionalism of an individual or group. Although students of

higher and lower socioeconomic statuses both attend school, the effect of lower

socioeconomic status on student achievement is difficult to ignore. Students of a lower

socioeconomic status often face additional challenges including a dearth of learning

resources, difficult learning conditions and poor motivation that negatively affect their

academic performance.

Families with a lower socioeconomic status often struggle with providing academic

support for their children. Limited time and financial resources make it difficult for

parents to create a home-based learning environment. Parents in a low socioeconomic

household cannot afford reading materials, technology and tutors for their children. When

children do not have a positive learning environment at home, it negatively affects their

academic achievement level in school.

School environment plays a profound role in academic achievement for low

socioeconomic status children. Teacher turnover, limited resources and low academic

performance are all characteristics of schools in lower socioeconomic communities.

Consequently, highly-qualified teachers often avoid such schools by committing to more

affluent school communities, leaving low socioeconomic status children with teachers

who often lack expertise in their subjects.

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Lower socioeconomic status students often display difficulty with language skills and

struggle with reading. In comparison to higher socioeconomic status children, they are not

as accurate when completing mathematical tasks such as word problems or addition and

subtraction. As schools become aware of low student performance, students are often

assigned to lower school tracks. Consequently, students on the lower end of the

socioeconomic spectrum are forced to take lower level courses or vocational courses that

do not necessarily prepare them for higher education. Lower socioeconomic status

ultimately contributes to lower academic performance and slower rates of academic

progress.

Students in lower socioeconomic communities are more likely to exhibit behaviorrelated

learning problems because they feel as if they do not belong in school due to their working

class background. These feelings of loneliness and inadequacy often influence the decision

to drop out for many students. Additionally, as low socioeconomic status students become

aware of high college tuition fees, they often lose the motivation to perform well due to

their inability to pay for higher education, ultimately affecting the influence of

socioeconomic status on student achievement. (Source: http://

everydaylife.globalpost.com/)

As per Rizaldy Lebaste(2019) a Child’s learning scale is highly related to how they are

treated at home. Parents are their first teachers and they have a key role in shaping up their

character. A balance of education at home and school molds a student actual learning.

Their role is not limited to home but involvement in school activities too.

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Schools, parents, and the community should work together to promote the health,

wellbeing, and learning of all students. When schools actively involve parents and engage

community resources they are able to respond more effectively to the health-related needs

of students.

Teachers and parents provide a vital support system to help students flourish. When

parents and teachers communicate and work together effectively, it can significantly

impact each student’s long-term success. A recent study investigated how the relationship

between parents and teachers can influence study progress children whose parents are

more involved in their education have higher levels of academic performance than

children whose parents are involved to a lesser degree. Therefore, it is important to

examine factors that contribute to early academic success and that are amenable to change.

Parent’s role in students education as that of helping a child with their homework,

preparing school uniform, buying learning resources for the child, communicating with the

school, attending school activities that are relevant to school performance, paying school

fees, and having high expectations for the child to progress into higher education studies.

The role of parents in their children’s education presents significant evidence in schools’

academic results, when parental roles in education are given priority. It is noted that

parents play a significant role in improving a school’s academic results.

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Parents have a natural role of supporting their children during examination periods,

building a child’s self-esteem, providing support in schoolwork, monitoring homework,

visiting the school and attending parent-teacher meetings and sporting activities.

The characteristics portrayed by parents play a vital role in influencing their children’s

learning as well as shaping their improvement in the academic attainment and

achievements and their overall behavior and attendance.

Parent involvement in a child’s education is consistently found to be positively associated

with a child’s academic performance. The quality of the student-teacher relationship fully

mediated the relation between parent involvement and teacher ratings of the child’s

classroom academic performance.

According to Rebecca Rajaendram, 2017 a Values and Personality Development Initiative

programme will begin for all school students from early next year.

The programme will see students receiving a score for how well they display moral values

within the classroom, and not just how they answer Islamic Studies and Moral Education

exam questions.

Deputy Education director-general (Teaching Professionalism Development) Dr Zainal

Aalam Hassan said that the ministry hopes moral values are not only learnt but practised

by all students.

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“Anyone can learn values but it is more difficult to make it a practice,” he told reporters

before the launch of the Education Ministry’s new cinema advertisement on Monday

The programme, added Education deputy director-general (Education Policy and

Development) Datuk Sulaiman Wak, is to create more holistic students that are not only

graded based on the number of As they obtain.

Most of the time, students are only taught about moral values during Islamic Studies and

Moral Education classes, he added.

But these values have been implied and taught throughout the whole curriculum, said

Sulaiman.

There would be town halls and workshops to gather feedback and train teachers on how to

assess students’ values, added Dr Zainal Aalam.

“Other stakeholders including parents and the local community will also be engaged.”

“It is very difficult to measure moral values,” he said.

He also said that all teachers would be asked to evaluate students as “students do not just

meet one teacher in a day.”

For example, Dr Zainal Aalam said students can be assessed on their ability to work

together by the way they interact with each other when seated in groups.

“This would also mean those that are more academically-inclined can help the weaker

students,” he added.

One of the student aspirations in the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025 is having

firm ethics and spirituality, said Sulaiman.

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Houston Independent School District has been getting a lot of attention lately, from budget

cuts to the threat of a state takeover. Little attention has been placed, however, on the

families and children most affected by these changes. While budget cuts remain largely

administrative, school performance is not. In the era of increased accountability, blame

often falls on school district administration and principals for how children perform in

school, but many years of research demonstrate that academic performance can be

affected by many

other factors such as neighborhood violence, food insecurity and the physical and mental

health of the children attending school.

For instance, a study by University of Illinois at Chicago researcher Marcus Casey and

colleagues on the impact of neighborhood crime on standardized test scores in Chicago

found violence negatively impacted test scores, and schools where violent crimes took

place were less likely to meet accountability standards. Additionally, numerous studies

have also found that food insecurity, depression and bullying all have a negative impact on

academic performance.

In a study of academic performance conducted within a large, urban school district that

analyzed data from a wide range of schools, from improvement required (IR) to met

standard (MS), my colleagues and I also found that social and mental health needs were

correlated with worse academic performance. In each of the participating schools, we

surveyed students and their parents about student physical and mental health, food

14
insecurity, neighborhood violence, bullying and a variety of other factors that could

influence a child’s well-being. For example, we found that bullied children were more

likely to report symptoms of depression as well as fail a grade. In some schools, students

who witnessed neighborhood violence were almost five times as likely to fail a grade than

students who had not.

The correlation between worse academic performance and negative factors was consistent

across all schools, yet the main difference between the IR schools and the MS schools was

the percentage of students who suffered from negative factors such as depression,

neighborhood violence or food insecurity within the school. In a cohort of 10 IR schools,

25 percent of high school students, 16 percent of middle school students and 18 percent of

elementary students reported symptoms of depression. Moreover, 1 in 5 students are food

insecure, and 16 percent of middle and high school students have witnessed a murder or

shooting in their neighborhood.

In comparison, the percentage of students experiencing negative factors is significantly

lower in the 11 met standard schools we surveyed. For instance, only 10 percent of

students are food insecure, only 7 percent of middle and high school students witnessed a

murder or shooting in their neighborhood and only 14 percent of all students in MS

schools reported depressive symptoms. Further data analysis needs to be performed, but

the stark contrast between student needs and experiences at IR versus MS schools is

evident.

The schools designated as IR have a much higher concentration of students who

experienced factors that correlate with worse academic performance. One solution could

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be to close schools with a large number of students with depression, trauma and hunger

and distribute those students throughout the school district so that their poor performance

does not affect the overall rating of the school. This approach does not address the

underlying problem, however, nor does it ensure educational equity for the students

affected. Instead, already-depressed and traumatized students will have to wake up earlier

to catch a bus to go to a new school away from established support systems, such as the

principal and teachers accustomed to working with children with complex social and

emotional needs.

Further, parents who may already have a difficult time engaging in their child’s school

will have additional challenges of transportation to the new school. An equitable approach

would be to identify the needs of the students in the IR schools and develop wraparound

services

in partnership with the community to address those needs, which many school districts,

including HISD, have started to do.

Despite mounting evidence that existing accountability measures may not be the best

metric for evaluating teacher and principal effectiveness, HISD is under pressure from the

state to turn around its troubled schools in a year. Yet, the state must give the district time

for recent comprehensive strategies to make an impact. Depression, trauma from

neighborhood violence and food insecurity did not develop overnight and will not be

solved overnight, particularly in light of the exacerbation of these factors from Hurricane

Harvey. Accountability measures need to take into account the community they aim to

16
serve and protect — the students — and look at the whole student, not just how he or she

performed on a state test.(Houston Chronicle, 2018)

In the year 2019, Joyce D. Ponio stated that a student’s performance is affected by many

contributory factors. Learning is not confined with his ability to understand lessons and

subject matter. Environment also impacts the learning ability of a child. The learning

environment triggers the enthusiasm of the child to learn and to divulge one’s self in the

process of learning.

The cognitive development of a learner is affected by how the child views his

environment. The more they connect themselves with their surroundings, the more they

indulge in learning. Conducive learning environment is essential in the learning process of

the child. This is usually divided into two aspects which are comprised by the learning

environment

and the learning climate or interaction. The learning environment is the physical attributes

of the school, while the leaning interaction is the created climate inside the cl assr oom .

On the contrary, learning interaction involves different aspects like classroom

management, organization, and facilitation. The teacher is expected to provide an

environment that creates a perception on the learners that learning is fun. The climate

inside the classroom must be safe and friendly. It must be free from biases and any form

of abuse.

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No individual would like to confine himself in a place that he feels stagnant. Touching the

hearts of the learners and giving them the motivation needed might change their

perception about learning and academic excellence.

School Factors

Elizabeth Warren’s $800 billion plan to improve public education, like many of her plans,

is admirable in its ambitions but misguided in its approach. If the federal government is

going to spend more money on schools, the Americans should be allowed more choice

about which schools their children attend.

To her credit, Warren recognizes that competition for the best public schools increases

residential segregation, leading not only to greater disparities in student performance, but

also to runaway housing costs in preferred districts. The ideal solution would be to sever

the link between the student’s neighborhoods and their schools by expanding school

choice. Indeed, Warren herself once advocated exactly that solution.

Warren’s ideas have since evolved, apparently, tracking the preferences of white

Democratic voters, among whom support for charter schools has declined precipitously.

Yet the families most acutely affected by racial disparities remain strong supporters.

Warren’s plan not only rejects choice but also seeks to limit it, ending almost all federal

funding for charter schools. Her plan relies on more money and shifting portfolio of

18
mandates to improve performance at low-income schools. This approach has failed

countless times over the last several decades.

The relationship between well-funded school districts and strong educational outcomes is

clear to every parent. Less clear is whether lack of funding causes weak outcomes.

In 1965 the federal government commissioned the sociologist James Coleman to conduct

one of the largest social-science studies ever. His 737-page final report found that while

there were enormous racial and economic disparities in educational funding across the

U.S., a child’s performance was driven primarily by two factors: the educational

background of his parents, and the socioeconomic background of his peers.

Affluent parents have little doubt about which schools are best for their children, and they

are willing to pay exorbitant home prices to ensure that their children can go to those

schools. Increasing support for charter schools gives lower-income parents that same

ability to choose.

The sun star cited last June 11, 2019 that OYE, et al (2012) concluded that the use of

elearning or electronic learning affects the performance of the learners in various

educational fields. E-learning or electronic learning refers to the use or integration of

electronic materials in the strategies or methods of delivering lessons in specific

objectives. These materials include: computers, cellular phones, tablets, radio, televisions,

projectors and even network of these gadgets. Network refers to the interaction of these

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materials for information transfer especially computers interconnected together in a

laboratory setting.

Rand (2011), says that: the performance of a teacher is measured according to how

effective the teacher teaches in the classroom. If learners obtained higher scores in test

measurements, it denotes a higher performance for the teacher. However the effectiveness

of teaching lessons depends upon the quality or how well the teaching materials were

used. It is for these reasons that e-learning will be given importance.

Attwell (2007) however, found out that not all e-learning strategies or integration are

effective, research shows there were so many factors, issues and challenges that alters its

adoption or sustainability. Foremost is geographical location like rural areas. News were

abound of teachers explaining the appearances of some elearning materials like computers

and its accessories using sketch or drawing on the board. Literally, the learners haves

never seen these gadgets for reason of lack or none at all when it comes to source of

electricity.

Regardless of problems and geography however, e-learning remains an effective tool in

the urban areas. There are models used by researchers to determine the impact of elearning

to the learners. Curada (2012) uses the (SEM) model or the Structural Equation Modeling

where two important factors were identified. These are the learning community and the

integration of technology to the community through the learners. Integration refers to the

relationships of the learner to the hardware and software component in the learning

materials plus the teacher. This SEM by Curada has been used in one of the research

20
studies conducted by Sobejana (2016) in a research entitled “Educational technology and

academic performance of students in basic English in selected higher education

institutions in Davao del Sur” where he found out that the overall level use of e-learning

strategies were high. And in the five indicators of elearning, only learnerfaculty

interactions were significantly correlated with academic performance.

According to HuffPost, school is a crucial aspect of children’s lives. If they are unable to

go to school each day to acquire the skills they require to be successful in life, then they

will be at a disadvantage for their entire lives. While school is an important part of a

child’s life, it’s also as important that the child takes a break from his education. Multiple

studies have found that most students are getting too many extra assignments, leading to

sleep deprivation, unhealthy levels of stress, as well as related health problems.

The Department of Educa on (DepEd) supports the no‐homework policy. DepEd said that

it enables learners to have more quality me with their parents, family, and friends by limi

ng the homework [and] assignment to a reasonable quan ty on school days and by elimina

ng the same during weekends.

The policy would allow students to “find a balance between their academic development

and personal growth by having ample me for enjoyable ac vi es with family.”

House Deputy Speaker Evelina Escudero and Quezon City Representa ve Alfred Vargas

filed separate bills, House Bill (HB) No. 3611, which seeks to remove homework as a

requirement and have Kinder to Grade 12 students do academic ac vi es solely within

school premises.

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“Homework assignments can deprive students and parents [of] precious quality me for

rest, relaxa on, and interac on aGer school hours and even on weekend,” the bill’s

explanatory note reads.

The bill also seeks to prohibit students from taking textbooks home in order to “lighten the

physical burden of schoolchildren,” who, Escudero said, oGen have to carry heavy bags

due to schoolwork that has to be done beyond the school. This will apply to Kinder to

Grade 6 students.

Vargas filed HB No. 3883, which seeks to eliminate homework on weekends for all

elementary and high school students.

This is so that students can “enjoy their free me from the precisions of school during

weekends and to be able to have quality me with their family and friends.” (Rappler)

A number of studies have found that homework nega vely affects the life of school

children in many ways. Free‐ me plays a major role in fostering crea vity and emo onal

development — factors as important to long‐term success as educa on itself.

Rather than improving educa onal achievement, heavy homework load can nega vely

affect the performance of students. The stress of having to complete homework every

other night can affect the student’s performance in school. Students need to learn things in

a classroom

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environment, but they also need to be able to spend me exploring other ac vi es outside of

school, spend me with friends, go on a family vaca on, to name a few (HuffPost).

(watchmen Daily Journal, Nov. 20, 2019)

Teacher Factors

According to Justin Mattingly, 2019 Virginia’s education leaders have approved an

overhaul to the state’s teacher evaluation system that judges teachers less by how well

students do on tests and more on factors like classroom environment.

The changes, approved unanimously Thursday by the state Board of Education, are the

latest in a series of reforms over the past two years that target what the state schools chief

called an “overemphasis” on test scores.

No longer will standardized test scores count for nearly half (40%) of a teacher’s rating.

Now, test scores will account for the same amount as teachers’ planning and their

classroom environment, among other factors.

“I certainly think it’s important to know how our students are doing and what impact our

teachers are having on that,” state

Superintendent of Public Instruction James Lane said. “When the decision was made to do

that 40%, I don’t think that was in balance with the things that really matter in the

classroom.”

Academic achievement has counted for 40% of a teacher’s evaluation since 2012, when

the state changed its requirements so it could get federal money in the wake of the Great

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Recession, which left the state budget starving for an influx. The six other factors that go

into a teacher’s rating — professional knowledge, instructional planning, instructional

delivery, assessment of student learning, learning environment and professionalism —

accounted for 10% each.

With the changes approved Tuesday, student academic achievement will be weighted at

only 15% of a teacher’s evaluation. Professionalism will count as 10% of the evaluation,

while the others will also be at 15%.

Keri Treadway, a teacher at William Fox Elementary School in Richmond, called the

changes “a huge step in the right direction.”

“Teaching is a complex science and an art. As a teacher, I welcome all students into my

classroom. Students come to me from a variety of backgrounds, academic levels and

experiences,” she said Thursday. “My job is to meet students where they are and help

them learn, grow and develop. Student test scores only show a small snapshot of one day

in the life of a student and not an overall picture of the teaching and learning the students

have accomplished throughout the year.”

Teachers with negative evaluations can be put on performance improvement plans, which

could result in their firing by their school district, which enforces the state policy.

Ninetynine percent of teachers nationwide are rated good or great, according to the

Denver-based research group Education Commission of the States.

It’s unclear how many teachers have been fired over poor evaluations in recent years. The

Virginia Department of Education does not collect statewide teacher evaluation data, a

spokesman said Thursday.

24
Thomas Toch, the director of FutureEd, an independent think tank housed within the

McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University, said the deemphasis of test

scores can lead to less pressure for teachers. He added, though, that they’re still an

important part of looking at schools and teachers.

“It’s not the worst thing to lower the impact of test scores on teacher evaluations, as long

as they remain a part of the system,” he said. “They are, after all, measuring what’s most

important: student performance.”

The strong emphasis on test scores in a teacher’s evaluation was a product of the

education reform movement of the late 2000s and early 2010s. Education reform

advocates have championed using test scores as the best way to evaluate schools and

teachers.

“It’s problematic for teachers,” Virginia Education Association President Jim Livingston

said of the current system. “A single snapshot in time that is a standardized test score is

not an accurate reflection of student ability or a teacher’s ability in the classroom.”

The state is able to make the change now that the federal requirements, which came in

exchange for money from the U.S. Department of Education to fund basic operations,

have expired with the implementation of the new federal education law, the Every Student

Succeeds Act.

“The weighting of student academic progress at 40% of the summative evaluation is no

longer required,” said Patty Pitts, Virginia’s assistant superintendent for teacher education

and licensure.

With the higher weight no longer necessary, the state’s K-12 governing board is able to

continue a sequence of changes that have tried to lessen the importance of test scores.

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“We wanted to think about this weighting so we can really make sure the evaluation is at

least equally or primarily based on things we think make the most impact on student

outcomes,” Lane said.

Last year, Virginia rolled out a new accountability system that rates schools as either

accredited or accredited with conditions. Performance on the Standards of Learning tests,

administered annually, had previously been essentially the sole factor in deciding a

school’s accreditation rating.

Now, a school’s rating includes student attendance, dropout rate and college readiness,

among other factors.

Students must also pass fewer state tests — five rather than six — in order to graduate

under changes approved by the state board in 2017. This year’s freshman class is the

second to be affected by the new requirements.

The evaluations, which are typically finalized in the spring, will change as local school

boards adopt policy that aligns with the new state standards.

Learning strategies have developed with the advancement of recent teaching methods and

progressive technologies providing a myriad of academic information. Comprehensive

lessons involve virtual learning devices together with an actual classroom interaction

between the teacher and students. In any case, the viability of the mixed learning

technique is impacted by several variables including, but not restricted to, the substance of

the course, academic background of the student, intensity of motivation for gaining

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knowledge, computer literacy, studying environment, and mental condition (Chang,

2016).

While it is presumed that competent individuals can benefit from mixed learning

methodologies to grasp the course subjects effectively, student failure has multiple

contributing factors. A study conducted in 2013 asked students to provide their own

perspectives on why they fail. The results of the study were organized into seven

categories: academic preparedness, attitudes, external factors, instruction and instructional

materials, motivation, relevancy, and study habits (Cherif et al., 2013).

The classification referenced most much of the time as the basis behind them not being

able to comply successfully is lack of motivation and related matters. In the event that the

individual does not have the willingness to achieve, or see the advantage from effectively

completing a subject, the student will not attempt to put effort into the class.

Acknowledging why the person needs to thrive leads to opening the way to progress. Self-

motivation additionally engages students to be responsible for their very own learning and

shields them from surrendering when they are looked with academic, social, and personal

challenges. An established self-motivation will activate the capability to gain the

necessary knowledge and skills required to prevail in projects, regardless of how difficult

it may be.

All would approve that teachers want their students to attain favorable outcomes and those

with great study habits accomplish better evaluations. Poor study habits, time

management, and study skills are among the obstacles that disrupt the flow of learning for

some (Tennen and Hagar 2011). At the point when the unconscious tendency executes a

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procedure and a demonstration of seeking knowledge turns into a built up pattern of one's

psyche, then the student can be identified as having productive study habits. In this

manner, study habits and

time management are associated with self-motivation since it is the individual's motivation

to not quit when they encounter challenges.

Inadequacy of academic preparedness does not automatically imply that students are not

brilliant or diligent. Frequently, those who are not academically equipped have poor

language, communication, and writing aptitudes that are required with the end goal for

them to understand what is being taught and impart what they comprehended to other

people.

External variables comprised of extrinsic influences, including being a studentworker and

the expense of tuition fees, which are not within one's control. The participants disclosed

that unexpected conditions such as sicknesses and family catastrophes are considered

factors that unavoidably affect their academic performance. Others affirmed the use of

substances and liquor as factors, which are most likely made with their own choice and

discipline.

A student's perspective manages not just how s/he feels and sees the world, but also how

to act in an evaluative way with the requirements, course learning materials, class rules,

guidance, instructional materials, and educators, and so forth. Along these lines, a mindset

majorly affects how one performs in class. This implies there is a definitive correlation

between a student's frame of mind showing the demeanor and academic accomplishment.

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Ergo, the mental state is a critical factor in learning on the grounds that it leads to aiming

for their goals. For instance, those who are not eager to pose inquiries or are not fine to

state that they need assistance, are more likely to fall flat than the individuals who do

request help.

Reasons involved uninteresting classes which turn to students not devoting time and

effort, thus resulting to their failure. A few ascribed inability to crass educators who do not

draw a dynamic learning experience by moving too rapidly through the materials without

making sure that the lesson has been understood. Moreover, there are students who do not

get along with the educator. Teachers who are not transparent in instilling knowledge

cause students to have a misconception, which could also lead to failing the class.

Some contend that there is actually no connection between learner-centered instruction

and making the learning materials significant to students. They contend that while there

may be an association, it does not make a difference whether the materials are relevant or

not; supposing that specific concepts are required to be adapted, then it is the student's

obligation to study them. Choosing to not be responsible comes with accepting that this

leads to deterioration. Numerous students need to see the relevancy to remain committed

and determined.

Mumbai: The education department has asked officials from 35 districts in the state to

conduct a pilot study to explore the possibility of linking teacher appraisal to student

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performance. Through a circular, the officials have been asked to map students’ results for

the last three years for 25 teachers in their respective districts.

In 2017, the education department had proposed that primary (class I-V) and upper

primary schoolteachers (class V-VIII) will be eligible for higher pay scales on completion

of 12 and 24 years of service, respectively, only if their school has an A grade in the

National Standards and Evaluation (Shala Siddhi) Programme. For secondary

schoolteachers —class

IX and X—the success rate of that grade will have to be above 80%. The department faced

flak from teachers and the project did not take off.

A circular, dated August 19, issued by the Maharashtra State Council of Educational

Research and Training stated: “Revised norms for deciding seniority and selection grade

pay for teachers has been received in April... senior officials have suggested a pilot study

to see if the scales can be linked to students’ results of the past three years... officials from

each district must conduct the study for 25 teachers and submit an objective report by

August 31.” The pool of 25 must include teachers from primary, secondary, upper

secondary schools and teacher training institutes.

Teachers, however, have raised concerns. “Students’ results do not always reflect a

teacher’s teaching or skills. Especially in government schools, the results are affected by

various factors like socio-economic changes and migration,” said Anil Bornare of

Shikshak Parishad, a teacher’s group.

Echoing his sentiments, Uday Nare, a teacher from Hansraj Morarji Public School, said:

“Why experiment... with teachers? Will the government ever link the pay of employees

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from other department to the taxes collected? Instead of linking perfor mance only to

results, the government must look at other educational work done by teachers, or

innovations in teaching and awards could be made parameters.”

Private schools have annual or half-yearly appraisal exercises, where teachers are mostly

rated on academic performance, character building for students and workplace values and

other targets set by the management. “Government teachers get higher pay under the 7th

Pay Commission than several private schoolteachers. These salaries depend on teachers’

performance in classrooms and its affect on students’ learning levels. This way, we can

ensure that learning levels remain the focus,” said a trustee of a private school.

Shelby County Schools Supt. Dorsey Hopson is attempting to do just that by

recommending a strategic compensation system that rewards teachers for strong

performance.

This is a conversation that began when the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation awarded the

legacy Memphis City Schools a $90 million grant to focus on teacher effectiveness. This

work uncovered the fact that not all teachers are equally effective; therefore, not all

students have the benefit of an effective teacher every year.

With improved tools to assess teacher performance, it’s now time to reward the most

effective teachers with better compensation, as well as career pathways that allow them to

stay in the classroom and earn extra pay for taking on additional responsibilities and

leadership roles that impact student achievement.

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Previously, teachers received raises based on years of experience and advanced degrees.

Although it seems reasonable that these factors should make a difference in a teacher’s

skill and performance, research shows otherwise. Often teachers who have a bachelor’s

degree and fewer years of experience are seeing better academic performa nce from their

students than teachers with advanced degrees and tenure.

Furthermore, in the past, many teachers earned advanced degrees outside of t heir subject

area, which might prepare them for an administrative position with higher pay, but did

nothing to improve their teaching practice.

Pay- for- performance is a powerful strategy to attract and retain the very top talent so that

all students will realize the promise of an effective teacher every single year.

“I have gone through this many times,” the teacher went on. “Each year I try to give my

best to my students, in the midst of all the other duties. I spend so much time and

energy ... practically teach my lungs out... past year exam exercises, extra classes, notes.

The whole

works. And then when the results are announced and they get the As, who do they give

credit to? Their tuition teacher. But when they fail to get their As. Who gets the blame?

Yes, it is us the subject teacher in school. So you see, it’s lose-lose either way.”

There was some murmurs of agreement all round and then someone else said: “You know,

that is why we must make it a point to praise ourselves when our students do well in

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exams. What’s wrong in taking credit for their achievements and success? After all, we

invest so much of ourselves in them.”

While the role of the teacher may have made that crucial difference in the final step

towards achieving that standard of high excellence or raised the bar to record breaking

heights, it

would be unfair to magnify this role to such heights that other contributing factors in their

students’ success are eclipsed.

Her gaze turned towards a framed photograph of her school staff on the wall.

“Our chief goal is the moulding of student character.” There was a different expression on

her face as she went on. “Many of the students who come to us are from broken homes,

single parents, attitude problems...you know. The teenage or adolescent phase is

challenging enough by itself for them. The changes they are dealing with. The seeking for

identity, the conflicts, the questions. Dealing with difficult family situations makes it so

much worse for these kids. It affects them on so many levels.”

She paused for a moment as if trying to remember something and then went on. “Above

all else I tell my teachers this. As important as their academic results are, it is not the most

important reason why they or we are in school. School is about education and education is

about getting them ready for the real world out there. Teach the students under you, I tell

them. But

teach them more than just your academic content. Teach them about their own value as

human beings and the value of others who are around them. Teach them to be honest,

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responsible and caring. To look out for others as much as themselves. And teach them to

see themselves as people with a bright future. There are many who come with serious

behavioural problems...you won’t believe what we have had to deal with. “But over the

years we have seen them change. Not overnight, but slowly. My teachers are reminded to

always appreciate every success, change, step forward, no matter how small it may seem.

These are our achievements and successes,” she said looking out of the window as a group

of girls gathered round the basketball court.

“Ah, the girls are early today for their session,” she said. “These are the ones who have

volunteered under the ‘Help to Help’ programme”, she said. “Can you believe it, they

came up with the idea themselves, these girls. They have each taken one junior student

under their wing. Someone with learning problems, slow learners, those with language

difficulty or just

anyone who needs someone to look out for them. Maybe it’s because they themselves

were once like the ones they coach. Challenging family backgrounds, low opportunities,

difficulty making friends. And you know what, none of these volunteers are particularly

high academic achievers. Average performance mostly. It is very likely that they may not

score any As in the final exam. But there are different ways of getting As right,” she said,

as we left the principal’s room.

Dr G Mallika Vasugi who currently teaches in a local university, provides insights on the

teaching profession. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the

views of The Star.

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Moreover, in order to be effective, teachers need to make the connection between them

and their students. Teachers must be knowledgeable about their student’s behavior and

performance in the classroom. We can do this by determining our student’s rate of

learning orhow quickly they are making progress towards gradelevel standards. With that

said, it is

also important that we establish goals and expectations for each student’s learning and

then manage to those goals.

As an educator myself, this level of understanding gives me better clarity of purpose and

anticipated outcome, as it also helps me adjust the instructional intensity necessary in

order to meet my students’ academic goals.

On the other hand, for those students working at or above grade-level, we can extend the

academic goals to encourage students to reach higher levels of achievement. Most

importantly, the teacher can set his or her instructional priorities and manage available

time and resources to help the students who are in the greatest need.

When teachers succeed in these steps, they must then master and establish a consistent

instructional process, in order to be effective in their role.Furthermore, schools can

achieve higher levels of teacher effectiveness by empowering teachers through a shared

and clear understanding of core instructional materialsand embracing the process with

consistency. A commitment to this kind of approach benefits teachers, students,

administrators and the entire school community.

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