Críticas a la Tercera Generación de Derechos

The following four research questions were addressed and answered in relationship to the results revealed from the three data sources.

1. What are secondary English teachers’ perceptions about student engagement in their classrooms?

2. How do secondary English teachers’ perceptions about student engagement impact their confidence in and enjoyment of teaching?

3. What are secondary English teachers’ perceptions of their roles concerning student engagement?

4. What are secondary English teachers’ perceptions of their future roles in the improvement of student engagement?

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Secondary English teachers in this study perceived the behavioral engagement in their students as defined by Fredricks et al. (2004). Eighty-three percent of the

participants agreed that student engagement is represented by students who are actively participating or actively involved in the learning and educational process. Participants cited evidence of behavioral engagement such as giving teachers feedback, working with fellow classmates, and reviewing content outside of the classroom. In addition,

participants reported students’ behaviors such as the following: taking notes, raising hands, asking questions, nodding heads, and making eye contact.

Researchers conveyed the significance of having a rationale for school participation, whether it is interest in a topic or perceived relevance of the topic for application in life or future employment (Hawthorne, 2008; Sullivan et al., 2006). Approximately 66% of educators in the current study told stories of active student engagement when students found relevancy in the literature or were able to make personal connections to it. Moreover, participants recognized higher levels of engagement when their students expressed enjoyment, excitement, or desire to be involved in certain activities or to read specific genres of literature. Fredricks et al. (2004) explained that emotional engagement encompassed positive and negative

reactions to teachers, classmates, academics, and school and has been presumed to create ties to an institution and influence willingness to do the work.

As a current educator, I realize that emotional engagement is as equally important as behavioral engagement in teaching today’s youth. If students are initially interested in the topic, connected to the topic on a personal level, or even become hooked on the topic, their behavioral engagement is more consistently observed and sustained throughout the

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learning process. Helping students to recognize the relevance or rationale for learning content is another role that educators must responsibly fulfill.

In addition, teacher participants acknowledged how student engagement is

influenced by the actions and attitudes of the teacher. Two educators explained that their engagement with and interest in classroom topics and literature served as catalysts to ignite their students’ engagement. According to Ms. Seay, “Usually when I read novels that I like and that I know well, students seem to be engaged; I think they feed off of my excitement” (IIMS-- 6-8). Likewise, Sullivan et al. (2006) and Hawthorne (2008) had student participants who cited the importance of teacher support in sustaining their engagement in the academic subjects of mathematics and writing. I also agree with the importance of teacher support in the secondary English classroom; however, as suggested by one research participant, too much teacher support can make students totally

dependent on the teacher. If teachers were to tap more specifically into the roles of modeling and facilitating, their students could develop their skills as independent, expert learners.

Even though teacher support is provided, secondary English teachers noted that other factors could influence student engagement as well. Sharkey et al. (2008) asserted that these factors include family assets and certain intrinsic characteristics, such as self- efficacy, self-esteem, and interpersonal skills. As an educator of 20 years, I have witnessed that without the influence of certain internal and external factors, some students continue to face challenges with disengagement and academic achievement. Both male educators in the study mentioned the significance of families who value education, reading, broader learning experiences, and encourage higher academic

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achievement and pursuits from their children. In agreement with the research, Mr. Drew explained, “If education is not stressed at the beginning, if it’s not something that’s pushed in the home, then you pretty much can see it in the students, as opposed to the ones who have, they come from a different experience.” A few other participants described students who were more engaged in classroom instruction and performance because they possessed a positive outlook, assertiveness, eagerness, and a degree of popularity with their peers.

The dominant deficit view of some teachers reflected their attitudes that students’ backgrounds rendered them incompetent and incapable in their academic pursuits

(Zyngier, 2007). Mr. Drew reflected on some students in his classes who were likely to slack off in their academic work if they perceived that there was no fun involved; he declared, “…there’s gonna be some type of excuse. ‘ I don’t understand, or this is boring.’ …there’s always something…that’s wrong with someone else other than themselves.” However, he also noted that students who came from backgrounds where education is stressed by parents were more likely to put forth their best effort no matter what the assignment entailed. From Mr. Jeffreys’s perspective, students who come from limited backgrounds are hindered in their experiences with literature because of the inability to step outside of their common, cultural experiences.

On the other hand, several educators seemed to place a more positive emphasis on student strengths and lived experiences, a student-centered pedagogy (Zyngier, 2007). I agree that educators should not focus on students’ limitations concerning family, social, and educational experiences; instead, educators should create alternative pathways for their students to achieve personal growth and academic success. In the current study, Ms.

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Davis commented that students need opportunities to demonstrate what they know or what they experience, which in turn results in greater student interest and engagement. Ms. Slade acknowledged the benefits of allowing students to contribute their outside knowledge to major projects.

Appleton et al. (2008), in their investigations, revealed that multidimensionality is one constant across the many conceptualizations of engagement. Similarly, Mr. Jeffreys reiterated the same point about student engagement in the following statements:

I guess…engagement really does look different for different students…I know sometimes my students don’t look like they’re engaged, but they're, they’re just really thinking, or they may even be daydreaming,…., but I think it’s very, very personal question, which is what education has to be; but it is so individual, I think.

Conclusion 2: Teachers’ Perceptions about How Student Engagement Impacts Their