Teacher ability evaluation and changes in elementary student profiles of motivation and performance in mathematics

The aim of this person-centered study is to identify the profiles of interest value, self-concept, and performance in the domain of mathematics among elementary school students and to examine the stability and changes in these profiles from grade 1 to grade 2. Teacher-reported evaluations of students' mathematical ability and gender were examined as predictors of changes in the student profiles. The sample consisted of 237 students (46.8% girls). The latent profile analysis identified four profiles: 1) low levels of interest value, medium levels of self-concept and performance; 2) low levels of interest value, self-concept and performance; 3) high levels of interest value, self-concept and performance; 4) low levels of self-concept and performance, and medium interest value. Boys and students whose teachers evaluated their abilities as high compared to others were less likely to change from profiles with high levels of interest value or self-concept to profiles with low levels of these factors.