Teachers’ Expectations of Student Mathematics Achievement, and Student Mathematics Self-Efficacy in Aotearoa New Zealand Intermediate Schools: Do Teacher and Student Gender Make a Difference?

Abstract

Student self-beliefs can shape their self-efficacy and influence achievement. Further, student self-beliefs can be influenced by teachers’ own beliefs and expectations for their students. Yet, the relations between teacher expectations, teacher and student gender, student mathematics achievement outcomes and self-efficacy have been little explored. Aotearoa New Zealand intermediate school students (n = 1314) and their teachers (n = 73) from three urban schools ranging in ethnicity and socioeconomic status, were surveyed at the beginning and end of one school year regarding their beliefs about and expectations of mathematics achievement, and student mathematics achievement was measured. ANOVAs determined that all teachers held greater expectations of their female as compared to male students’ mathematics achievement. No differences in self-efficacy to meet mathematics expectations or in self-efficacy to achieve in mathematics were demonstrated at the beginning of the year by student gender. However, boys exceeded girls in these regards by the years’ end. When student self-efficacy to meet expectations in mathematics was examined by teacher gender, male students demonstrated greater levels than female students at both year points in female teachers’ classes, suggesting the influence of teacher gender on student beliefs. Greater self-efficacy in mathematics organisation was evidenced for female students in both male and female teachers’ classes. Interestingly, no statistically significant difference in student mathematics achievement was noted by student gender either between or within the classes of male and female teachers. Student mathematics self-beliefs and achievement outcomes, their association with teacher and student gender, and implications for student futures are discussed.