ABSTRACT
Educators may lower their expectations and water down instruction and, in turn, may negatively impact Black students' motivation and academic achievement goals. The purpose of the current study is to examine how academically high-achieving Black adolescent students perceive the impact of teachers in their school environment on their academic achievement. Subthemes that emerged from the category of experiences and relationships with teachers included developing positive relationships with teachers, teachers' high expectations of students and tendency to challenge them, teachers recognition of student academic potential and talent, and teachers showing genuine concern about students' achievement. There is a paucity of research exploring Black students in a positive light. By examining their views about how their school experiences with educators shape them and their educational achievement, the people may better understand how to nurture their academic gifts.
