The Role of Teacher Confidence in Shaping Student Outcomes

Riley J. Crews
Fri, 17 Apr 2026 13:15:00 PDT

Teacher characteristics play a critical role in shaping students’ academic, social, and behavioral outcomes. Understanding which teacher characteristics or qualities support positive student development is essential for improving instructional practice and student success. Prior research suggests that teachers’ competence in key instructional processes and their confidence in implementing specific programs may influence student performance. The present study examined whether elementary teacher confidence in supporting students’ academic and social development predicted student academic and social risk behaviors. Archival data were analyzed as part of a larger study evaluating a collaborative social-emotional learning curriculum implemented in a primarily Indigenous elementary school. Linear regression analyses indicated no statistically significant relationship between teacher confidence in supporting social development and students’ social risk behaviors, nor between teacher confidence in supporting academic development and students’ academic risk behaviors. However, given the small sample size in my study (n = 45), and slight negative trends observed in both models, it is possible that meaningful effects would be statistically significant in a larger sample size. These findings contribute to ongoing efforts to inform teacher training and professional development initiatives by identifying teacher skills that may support optimal student outcomes.