Expectations

We all think that we have high expectations. But how do we know? How do we know if our expectations are too high, or if they are not high enough? Can our expectations define the success or failure of our students?

There is plenty of research to support just that - that our expectations actually define the success or failure of our students. From as early as 1968, research has told us that there is a direct connection between teacher expectations and student achievement. The Pygmalian Effect (Douglas, 1964; Mackler, 1969) outlines the connection between teacher expectations and student performance. It is possible for teachers to limit student performance based on their expectations of what they think students can do. That is pretty powerful to consider. If we can limit student performance with our expectations, then we can also improve it.

As we come to the end of our first year in turnaround, expectations are very much on my mind. What if we are where we are because adults let students define our expectations instead of having high expectations for student performance that we were intent to see achieved? It is essential for us to have high expectations for our students and to put scaffolds and supports in place that will ensure our students' success. If we, as practitioners, do not know how to get our students to the level of achievement that they must reach, then we need to continue reading, learning, reflecting, and practicing to develop our skill set and push them forward.

Before this year, the students set the expectations based on what they were able to achieve. It wasn't that the teachers didn't have expectations, it was that there was no consistent expectations and no accountability for those expectations. We set purposeful targets - like 85% of Kindergarten students will be on instructional D by the end of the school year - and continually reviewed our data to make sure that we were going to hit the mark. We listed the students by their data and reviewed their individual progress according to the targets. This approach forced our teachers to re-think their expectations and push our students to higher levels of achievement than had been defined before. Having these clearly defined expectations was necessary in order to ensure high expectations for student achievement. 

We must believe in our students and what they can achieve and we must do absolutely everything we can to ensure their success. For our students, that means that we have to do whatever it takes to ensure that they read on grade level. High expectations - for both ourselves and our students. It is what must deliver each and every day in order to make sure that we provide our children with the future they deserve.