Search

"As expectations for increased student performance mounts, there are limited sources of assistance for teachers who struggle to bridge the gap between the practices they engage in and students' performance. This is particularly true for kindergarten teachers, who are currently being asked to do more with an increasingly diverse student population and calls for accountability. Given these challenges concerns exist about how satisfied teachers are with their job and whether the early academic achievement of children is being impacted by how they feel. Also of interest is whether children's socioeconomic status and professional development for teachers moderate the hypothesized satisfaction-achievement link. A nationally representative sample of students was used to investigate these associations in the kindergarten year. Results show that teachers' general job satisfaction is not significantly associated with students' academic achievement. No significant associations were found between teachers' professional development and students' academic achievement. However, children's socioeconomic status was significantly associated with students' academic achievement. Recommendations for future studies are discussed."--Abstract from author supplied metadata.