The major purpose of this study focused on the predictability by the Teacher Perceiver Interview (TPI) of qualities deemed to be conducive to productive teacher-pupil relationships, as identified from scores on the McDaniel Observer Rating Scales (ORS) and observable in classroom relationships. In addition, this study intended to determine whether former interview ratings by personnel administrators predict as well as the Teacher Perceiver Interview observable classroom teacher-pupil relationships as indicated by the McDaniel Observer Rating Scales.

Fifty-one teachers were randomly selected from six Norfolk Public elementary schools to test three hypotheses:

1. There is no statistically significant relationship between the total scores recorded on the Teacher Perceiver Interview and each of the six dimension scores of the McDaniel Observer Rating Scales.

2. There is no statistically significant relationship between the scores on the past interviews of personnel administrators and each of the six dimensions of the McDaniel Observer Rating Scales.

3. There is no statistically significant relationship between the score on each of the Teacher Perceiver twelve life themes and each of the six dimension scores of the McDaniel Observer Rating Scales.

The Teacher Perceiver Interview (TPI) is a structured interview process published by Selection Research, Incorporated (1974), and contains questions from twelve theme areas: Mission, Empathy, Rapport Drive, Individualized Perception, Listening, Investment, Input Drive, Activation, Innovation, Gestalt, Objectivity and Focus.

The McDaniel Observer Rating Scales (ORS) was published by Ernest McDaniel at Purdue University (1974), and is a classroom climate rating instrument containing nine dimensions: Warmth, Enthusiasm, Clarity, Variety, Individualization, Feedback, Cognitive Demand, Freedom and On-Task Activity. (Note: The writer tested all dimensions except Clarity, Feedback and Cognitive Demand.)

Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficients from .48 to .71 were registered between total TPI scores and each of the six ORS dimension scores. Hypothesis number one was rejected. Two ORS measures (Variety, .34 and Freedom, .33) showed a significant relationship with past personnel administrator ratings. The writer failed to reject null hypothesis two in the other four dimensions.

To test hypothesis three, a step-wise regression analysis was employed to determine if relationships existed between the twelve TPI themes and each of the six ORS dimensions. TPI Innovation registered significant correlations with all the ORS dimensions except On-Task Activity. TPI Objectivity correlated significantly with all the ORS dimensions except Warmth and Variety. TPI Mission registered a significant correlation with one ORS dimension (On-Task Activity).

A factor analysis revealed that all twelve of the TPI life themes loaded on a single factor. Factor loadings ranged from a low of .224 to a high of .719, but no secondary factor was identified.

On the basis of the data presented in this study, the following conclusions appeared to be warranted:

1. Total TPI scores appear to be helpful in predicting certain characteristics of successful teaching as measured by the ORS process.

2. Past personnel administrator ratings indicated little or no predictability of the teaching process.

3. Indications were that codings on questions from TPI themes Innovation and Mission may collectively be as valid predictors of the relationship building qualities of candidates as total TPI scores. Similar predictions may be made from combining codings on questions from TPI themes Objectivity, Mission and Rapport.

4. TPI is a useful predictor of a teacher's willingness to develop mutually-favorable relationships with each student he/she teaches.