Expectations And

Student Achievement

Pygmalion effect -

Teacher expectations affect student achievement. This has been demonstrated through classroom research time and time again. Nevertheless, few parents seem to be aware of it.

This effect (also known as the Rosenthal effect or self-fulfilling prophecy) refers to an often cited study conducted in the 1960's by Robert Rosenthal and Lenore Jacobson and described in their book "Pygmalion in the Classroom."

Through this study, they examined the impact of teacher beliefs about students to determine if outcomes were affected.

The study found that when teachers were given information that certain students were brighter than others, they tended to behave in ways that fostered those beliefs. This contributed to the students' results.

In other words, what the teachers believed about the students' abilities were ultimately reflected in the students' performance -- positively and negatively.

This study has important implications for parents including:

1. What teachers believe about their students tends to happen. What parents believe about their children tends to happen. It we expect much, they achieve much. If we expect little, they achieve little.

2. Parents need to listen for clues in terms of what teachers really believe about their children.

3. One of the best reasons to request a teacher change is if you have clear evidence that the teacher has low expectations for your child. This is important because we know that this can lead to lower levels of achievement.

There's a lesson here for everyone. Our beliefs affect the way we behave and that affects what ultimately happens. Whether we think our children can or we think our children can't, we're probably right. Our beliefs and behaviors will contribute to that outcome.

You owe it to your children to be aware of this. It's even a biblical principle.

"Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee..." (Job 22:28, King James Version)

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