The relationship of teacher attitudes to course implementation and student responses

In order to successfully implement a new curriculum it is critically important to have an understanding of both the nature of attitudes and concerns that teachers bring to the classroom and their potential effects on curriculum implementation and student responses to the course. This study investigated the relationship between the characteristics and views of 35 middle school teachers of a sexuality education course and their students' responses to the course. Teachers' levels of cognitive and affective comfort, and their perceptions of the adequacy of their preparation and social support were significantly associated with student perceptions of the course's impact on their sexual knowledge, attitudes, and anticipated personal behaviors. Teachers were also separated into more or less influential teacher groups, and changes in these attitudes and concerns before and after implementation were analyzed by group. Although many teacher views changed in a positive manner after implementation, distinctly different change patterns were evident between more and less influential teachers.