Teachers' self-concept and valuing of learning: Relations with teaching approaches and beliefs about students

One’s self-concept and value perceptions can significantly influence one’s behaviors and beliefs. Australian teachers from urban and rural areas of the state of New South Wales were asked to respond to survey items on two predictors (teacher self-concept, valuing of learning) and 3 outcomes (2 immediate: student-centered and teacher-centered teaching; 1 long-term: beliefs in ability constraints). Confirmatory factor analysis established the five latent factors. Structural equation modeling found significant paths from teacher self-concept to both student-centered and teacher-centered approaches but not beliefs about student ability. The positive path from valuing of learning to student-centered teaching was statistically significant but the path to teacher-centered teaching was not. The significant path from valuing of learning to beliefs about student ability was negative indicating that teachers who value student learning were less likely to believe in ability constraints. The significant influences of teacher self-concept and valuing of learning on short-term and long-term outcomes have significant implications for teacher education. Teacher preparation programs should enhance self-concept together with teaching skills and facilitate an advocacy for students’ learning rather than the teacher’s teaching.