Uncovering the Essence of Teachers’ Influence on High School Mathematics Instruction in the Northern United States School Districts: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand and describe the lived experiences of high school mathematics teachers in the Northeast United States, focusing on how their backgrounds, education, and personal attitudes shaped their teaching practices and influenced students' academic performance in mathematics. The study was guided by Bandura's social learning theory, which emphasizes learning through observation of behaviors, attitudes, and outcomes. The central research question was: How do the diverse backgrounds, educational experiences, professional development, and personal attitudes of high school mathematics teachers in select school districts across the Northern United States influence students' academic performance, as framed within Bandura's social learning theory? The study employed a transcendental phenomenological design, with data collected through one-on-one interviews, focus groups, and questionnaires. The sample included high school mathematics teachers from select school districts in the Northern United States. Data collection occurred in the participants' educational settings, ensuring an authentic understanding of their lived experiences. Analysis followed Moustakas's seven-step framework, incorporating phenomenological reduction, data synthesis, and triangulation to uncover the essence of the participants' experiences. The findings revealed that teachers' educational backgrounds, professional development experiences, and personal attitudes significantly shaped their teaching approaches and directly influenced their students' academic performance. These insights provide valuable guidance for developing strategies to enhance mathematics instruction and improve educational outcomes for high school students in the Northern United States.