Chinese teachers’ evaluation criteria as reflected in narrative student evaluations: Implications for psychological services in schools

Abstract

To increase school psychologists’ understanding of school contextual culture in China, this study used a qualitative research method to investigate 30 Chinese elementary school teachers’ evaluation criteria as reflected in narrative student evaluations. In the study, 450 narrative student evaluations were coded and analysed. Overall, results showed that Chinese teachers’ evaluation criteria primarily included moral development, effort and learning, as they were referenced most frequently in students’ narrative evaluations. Teachers’ positive comments tended to focus on moral character, effort, and learning; negative comments tended to focus on effort, behavior, and learning. Implications are discussed for school psychological services in China and in other countries with a cultural orientation different from the Western individualist culture.