Published Paper Details:

Teacher-student interaction is central to the teaching-learning process, and the interpersonal behaviour of teachers plays a decisive role in shaping students' academic and psychological outcomes. This study examined secondary school students' perceptions of their mathematics teachers' interpersonal behaviour using the Questionnaire on Teacher Interaction (QTI). A sample of 820 students (412 males, 408 females; 445 rural, 375 urban) participated in the study. The QTI measured eight dimensions of teacher behaviour: Leadership, Helpful/Friendly, Understanding, Student Freedom, Uncertain, Dissatisfied, Admonishing, and Strict. Data were analysed using independent samples t-tests to identify gender- and locality-based differences. Results indicated that female students perceived their teachers as significantly more understanding, whereas male students reported greater student freedom, uncertainty, and dissatisfaction. Comparisons across locality showed that rural students perceived their teachers as more helpful, understanding, and supportive of freedom, as well as more uncertain, than did urban students. These findings highlight that perceptions of teacher interpersonal behaviour differ across demographic groups, underscoring the importance of fostering equitable, supportive classroom interactions. The study concludes that mathematics teachers should strive to reduce uncertainty and dissatisfaction while strengthening understanding and supportive behaviours to promote inclusive learning environments.