The purpose of this paper is to explore differences in the nature of classrooms where students perceive high and low amounts of differential teacher treatment between high and low achievers. The Teacher Treatment Inventory was used to measure students' perceptions of the frequency of 30 teacher behaviors towards a hypothetical male or female high or low achieving students in twelve classrooms, four each at grades 1, 3, and 5. In addition, teacher expectations were measured and the classrooms were observed. Hypotheses concerning the differential occurrence of variables affecting the formation of students' self-evaluation were supported to a greater extent at grade 5 than at grades 1 and 3. The operation of quantitative structural and interaction variables is enlightened by qualitative field notes which allow for an understanding of the dynamic interaction of variables within the larger context. (Author/BW)