The expectations that you set for yourself will determine your actions. If you expect to succeed, you will likely do so. Likewise, if you expect to fail, you definitely will. This is especially true in the classroom. If you expect and believe that your students will succeed, you will most likely see that they will live up to your expectations. Your attitude can be infectious because the students take their cue from you on what to expect of themselves.

Most teachers have an opinion about how much they think their students can learn. Rather than the actual skills of the students in question, these beliefs are often formed from other sources of information. They might come from discussions that they have held with other teachers, the level of the class as listed on the course information sheet, or even personal biases about students in general.

If a teacher walks into a classroom with the attitude that the students cannot learn the material for the course, the battle is lost before it has begun. Low expectations serve as a self-fulfilling prophecy, resulting in lower student achievement and interest. On the other hand, if a teacher walks into a classroom believing that the students can learn the material, then the students will pick up on this, and it too will be a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Students are very smart at picking up the nuances of individual teachers and their opinions. Never underestimate a student's perception of what you really think. If you truly believe that all the students in your class can learn the material required for the course, then your attitude and demeanor will reflect that belief. When you find your students having problems with difficult concepts, you will not allow them to become convinced that the subject is too advanced for them. You will work with them to try and get them to understand.

Teachers with high expectations typically smile more, joke more, and encourage more. They have a "can-do" attitude and probably achieve more in their own lives, too. Students who have high expectations for themselves end up believing in their own ability to learn. No student wants to feel dumb, but when teachers do not offer the opportunity to achieve, some students start to feel inferior or have Unrealistic Demands.

High expectations are necessary, and they result in positive achievement. Impossible expectations set students up to fail. This is an important distinction.

Many difficult concepts rely on background knowledge and previous academic experience. If a student has not successfully completed a required prerequisite for the course you are teaching, she doesn't have the tools she needs to succeed. It would be impossible to expect her to master the concepts without much remediation. This is especially apparent in math and higher-level science classes. For example, if she has never studied algebra, then she will have a difficult time with some concepts in chemistry.

As educators, it is important to change the perception that high expectations set students up to fail. They don't, but low or impossible expectations do. Low expectations can create a false sense of accomplishment that is not based on reality. High expectations, however, can lead to authentic and heightened self-esteem.

Critics argue that high expectations can lead to failure. But what effect do low or no expectations have on students? Student motivation to learn is shaped by their attitudes to learning. These attitudes are largely shaped by their parents and by you.

Students need to feel that you believe they can do it, that they can learn. Having high expectations does not mean that a student is a failure if he does not understand a subject or has a hard time with it. It simply means that you expect him to try and that with additional help, you believe he can do it. This is definitely not a recipe for failure. Instead, students who have never been respected academically will probably begin acknowledging your efforts through their words and actions.

"Teaching to the Lowest/Highest Student"

You might have heard of the phrase "dumbed down." Many teachers water down their curriculum to be able to reach the lowest students. As a result, the average and high-achieving students often get bored, becoming a source of classroom disruptions. There are also some teachers who teach the highest-achieving students in a class, thereby losing the lower students. The fact is that you should not specifically target your curriculum to one group or the other.

You should have high expectations for all groups by letting them know that you expect their best work at all times. Varying instruction is essential to effective teaching at all levels,

Write lessons to appeal to different learning styles. This does not mean you must appeal to all learning styles every day. It simply means that by mixing things up a little bit, student attention will be less likely to waver. This is an extremely challenging task in the present educational era because tracking is often set aside in the name of self-esteem. Because of this, classrooms are often filled with students at many different levels. It is up to the teacher to try and teach each student in the class. This can cause teachers tremendous frustration and unhappiness in their job. However, flexibility is the key. Vary your methods of instruction. Try to include information that is interesting on many levels. You may need to reevaluate your standards and expectations from time to time, but you should not lower them to the detriment of middle and high-achieving students.

And yes, it is not enough to have high expectations for your students. You must also let them know what these expectations are. Communicating your expectations begins on the first day and should be reinforced on a daily basis. Sometimes students might need gentle reminders. Other times, however, you might feel you need to stop the normal course of study to discuss your expectations for the students. Only through repetition and constant reminders will students' attitudes change. This reinforcement might seem redundant, but it is well worth the effort.

Should I communicate my expectations to my student’s parents?

Definitely. Students will have a much better chance to succeed if their teachers and parents work together. Parents need to know not only what they expect of their children but also what you expect of them.

If you let students know that you believe they can get an A in your class, they already have one person in their comer. Some students have trouble believing that they can get good grades. By constantly reinforcing the idea that they can do it, you are helping them believe in themselves. Eventually, they will internalize the message. Now, not all students will earn As in your classroom, but many of them will make a greater effort to do better than they have in previous classes.

High expectations for behavior and grades work together to produce a much better learning environment. Students who regulate their own behavior based on your expectations are much more likely to work harder and produce better work.

Setting high (not impossible!) expectations for yourself is important too in setting yourself up to achieve your goals. We can't ever succeed if we start out believing we have lost. You can only succeed in teaching and other areas of life if you believe that you can do it. It is a good idea to frequently reflect on areas where you need to improve in your teaching. Set goals for yourself, and track your progress over time.

The benefits of defining your expectations are many. First, you will find that you are less stressed because you will have a better understanding of what is important to you. While you will still face stresses on the job, you will be able to approach them with firm values and beliefs in place. Second, your attitude will definitely improve. You will be more positive about what you and others can achieve. Finally, your confidence level will rise. If you believe that you too can learn and achieve, then you will begin accomplishing your goals.

 

By: Humera Naseem