Middle school students’ perceptions of teacher empathy in Christian schools: A transcendental phenomenological study

Abstract

Numerous studies have contributed to the theoretical, empirical, and practical understanding of teacher empathy, but few have captured the voices of middle school students to understand their lived experiences; no studies have explored the topic in Christian academies. Grounded in Rogers’ theory of self and subsequent theories about student-centered pedagogy, the intent of the study was to explore the perceptions of teacher empathy as voiced by 10 middle school students. Data collected from individual interviews, a focus group session, and letters written to hypothetical future middle school teachers revealed that middle school students perceived teacher empathy as a relational process that positively impacted their personal and academic growth. A major implication for decision-makers is the necessity to prioritize relational cultures, while implications for teachers include the necessity to build ongoing, nonjudgmental, and transparent relationships that lead to functional, fundamental, and profound empathic opportunities.