MOTIVATION IN THE CLASSROOM - RECIPROCAL EFFECTS OF TEACHER-BEHAVIOR AND STUDENT ENGAGEMENT ACROSS THE SCHOOL YEAR

On the basis of a new model of motivation, we examined the effects of 3 dimensions of teacher (n = 14) behavior (involvement, structure, and autonomy support) on 144 children's (Grades 3-5) behavioral and emoti onal engagement across a school year. Correlational and path analyses revealed that teacher involvement was central to children's experience s in the classroom and that teacher provision of both autonomy support and optimal structure predicted children's motivation across the scho ol year. Reciprocal effects of student motivation on teacher behavior were also found. Students who showed higher initial behavioral engagem ent received subsequently more of all 3 teacher behaviors. These findi ngs suggest that students who are behaviorally disengaged receive teac her responses that should further undermine their motivation. The impo rtance of the student-teacher relationship, especially interpersonal i nvolvement, in optimizing student motivation is highlighted.