Psychology Commons^™

The Relationship Of Teacher Perceptions Of Principal Support Styles And Teachers' Own Attitudes About The Use Of Support Styles With Children, Michael Simcha Lax

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This study assessed the role that principal modeling has on influencing teachers’ classroom styles and behaviors. Teachers differ in the degree to which they employ autonomy supporting or controlling behaviors. The degree to which teachers demonstrate autonomy supportive behaviors has a direct effect on the level of autonomous motivation demonstrated by students. This is because students are more likely to develop self-determined motivation in a social environment which provides support for autonomy (Deci, Vallerand, Pelletier and Ryan, 1991). Higher levels of student autonomy is associated with a lower school drop out rate (Vallerand, 1997) and higher levels of academic achievement …