Relationship between peer choice and academic performance of junior students in Mina National High School

Abstract

A student’s low motivation towards academic subject in school may be due to influence exerted by their peers who were good in non school activities or it may also be due to his strong preferences for non-school activities or activities which are against the school rules and regulations, which may be directly influenced by their peers. It is in this light, that this study was conducted to determine the relationship between peer choice and academic performance of the students. The respondents of the study were 181 junior students in Mina National High School for school year 1998-1999. Specifically, this study aimed to determine the characteristics of the respondents in terms of sex, family income, and extent of participation in school activities; and to determine the peer choice of the respondents in terms of the following categories of students: academically inclined, socially inclined, sports minded’ leadership oriented, and happy go lucky students, or a combination of two or more types. Likewise, this study sought to find out whether: a) respondent’s sex, family income, extent of participation in school activities are significantly related to their peer choice; b) respondent’s sex, family income, and extent of participation in school activities is significantly related to their academic performance, and c) whether peer choice is significantly related to their academic performance The results of the study showed that the majority (55 percent) of the respondents were female. The majority (63 percent) of them reported that their family was earning a total monthly gross income between P5,000 to P15,000. Nearly half of the respondents reported that they participated in school activities to a little extent. In terms of choice, the highest proportion preferred to associate with academically inclined students. Only a few preferred to associate with leadership- oriented students. The study further revealed that the students’ peer choice significantly varied according to sex Female students were more inclined to go with academically inclined students, while male students preferred to be with sports minded and happy go lucky peer. Peer choice, however, was not associated with family income. The study also revealed that there was a significant relationship between the respondent’s sex, family income, and extent of participation in school activities and academic performance. Female respondents have better grades average than their male counterparts. This study also found out that those students who belong to high-income families got better grades than those students who came from low-income families. Likewise, those students who participated actively in school activities do well in their academic performance than those who participated less or not at all. The study further revealed that there was a significant relationship between the student’s peer choice and academic performance. Students who preferred to be with academically inclined peers have better grades that those students who preferred to be with the group of happy go lucky students. Results of the study also revealed that sex, family income, and extent of participation in school activities were significantly related to the students’ academic performance. Female students have higher academic performance than those of their male counterparts and students who came from high-income families tend to have better grades than those students who came from low-income families. Likewise, students who preferred to be with the group of academically inclined students tend to have better grades than those students who preferred to be with the other group of students; and students whose peer choice was happy go lucky students tend to have low grades or poor academic performance.

From the findings of the study, the following conclusions were drawn: 1. Sex and peer choice were significantly related to each other. Female students preferred to stay with a group of students who were academically inclined while male respondents preferred to be with the group of sports minded and happy go lucky students. 2. Family income and peer choice were not significantly related to each other. In other words, family income is not required for peer choice to be in a group. The well-off students associate with all social classes of friends whether these students’ families were earning low or high income. Likewise, low-income families associate with all social classes. 3. Null hypotheses which states that students who participated actively in school activities preferred to be with friends who were sports minded was rejected. Findings of the study revealed that there was no significant relationship that exists between the respondents extent of participation in school activities and peer choice . 4. Sex and academic performance were significantly related to each other. Female students have higher academic performance than those male students. Finding of this study was supported by the findings of Coaching (2000) and Magallanes (2000). But this finding contradicts to the findings of Warner (1998) and Regalado (2000). To them, males have better academic achievement than female students. 5. Family income and academic performance were significantly related to each other. Those students belonging to high-income families have better grades than those students who came from low-income families. 6. Extent of participation in school activities and academic performance were significantly related to each other. The more the students get involved in school activities the higher their academic performance compared to those students whose participation in school activities was least. This finding was supported by the findings of Montano (1994). In her study, she found out that participation with classmates in extra-curricular activities may increase children’s achievement motivation. 7. Peer choice and academic performance of the respondents were significantly related to each other. The null hypotheses which state that students who belonged to the category of academically inclined students have better grades than those who are not was accepted at .05 level of significance. This finding was supported by Condez (1994) where she found out that peers depicts the extent of influence of the pupil’s academic performance. Likewise according to Wenzel (1999) the acceptance of peers was relayed significantly and relatively to the pursuit of academic performance. According to Hurlock (1972), bright children are better like than those who are less bright.

The following recommendations are forwarded based on the findings and conclusions:

To the Teachers: Since extent of participation in school activities has a significant relationship with the students’ academic performance, they (especially teacher advisers and sports coordinators) must encourage their students to participate in school activities offered by their respective schools. Considering that peer choice and academic performance are also significantly related, Education must be taken on a right perspective. Teachers must sustain the passion of teaching the children the truth and depending it. They must help parents in finding means in keeping away these adolescents from the peers of happy go lucky so that these students’ academic performance will not be affected negatively. They must encourage their students to go with the group of academically inclined peers because this kind of peers has a positive effect to their academic performance. Findings of this study revealed that students who go with academically inclined peers have better grades than students who preferred to go with happy go lucky peers.

To the School Administrators:

Since students’ extent of participation in school activities and peer choice were significantly related to academic performance, they must provide school curriculum, policies, and programs valuable in meeting not only the intellectual but as well as the emotional, social, and spiritual needs of children and the adolescents. Because participation in school activities by the students was significantly related to their academic performance, the school must provide opportunities to maximize participation of students in school activities. Holding of intramural meet, sports feast, cultural contest and the like are encourage. They must have school programs that will encourage students who are poor in academic performance to mingle with the group of academically inclined students like tutorial classes with academically advantaged classmates and friends. The school can implement cooperative learning strategies so that students who are academically privileged can help the slow learners or those with learning difficulties. Likewise, the school must provide an environment that is supportive and friendly to the students in order to encourage the later to stay away from the influence of happy go lucky peers because this could negatively affect their academic performance.

To the Parents:

Considering the increasing amount of influence of peers in the lives of the adolescents, parents should help their children build their self- esteem in order for them to resist the bad influence of happy-go-lucky peers. They must encourage their children to stay with friends who are academically inclined students so that they can also improve their achievement. On the other hand, they must find means to keep their children away from peers who are happy go lucky. Because there was a significant relationship between family income and participation in school activities to students’ academic performance, parents must see to it that their children basic needs will be well provided They too must encourage their children to participate actively in school activities. Parents must help their children develop good study habit to help the later in their academic performance Lastly, parents must set standards and demonstrate values. Although many adolescents do not always agree with their parent, they still respect their strength and integrity. Parental values give them courage to stand alone when necessary; to do against the crowds’ or peers’ bad influence.

To the Students:

Considering that peer choice was significantly related to academic performance, they must be selective in choosing their peers. They must associate more with academically inclined students or student leaders because the influence of these peers can create positive effect on their academic performance. They must do all means to resist the influence of happy go lucky peers so that their academic performance will not be affected negatively.

Since extent of participation in school activities is also significantly related to their academic performance, they must actively participate in any extra-curricular offered by their schools like inter-class meet, cultural contest, quiz-bee contest, students government, and the like because these activities have positive influence to their academic performance.