Teacher Expectations & Beliefs

Share / assign

Why it works

Research on teacher expectations (the Pygmalion or Rosenthal effect and extensive follow-up) shows that teacher beliefs about students' potential influence student outcomes, partly because expectations shape teacher behavior in subtle ways (who is called on, how long you wait for an answer, the difficulty and feedback given, warmth), which in turn shape students' self-belief and achievement. Low expectations, often unconscious and unevenly distributed, can limit students, while genuinely high expectations for all, conveyed through behavior, open possibilities. The key is examining one's own beliefs and expectations (including biases), and deliberately holding and conveying high expectations for every student.

The research: Research on teacher expectations (Rosenthal; Pygmalion effect).

The run-of-show

Choose your slot. The agenda, timings, and length update to match.

The core activity: examine and raise your expectations

Teachers leave having examined their expectations and planned to convey high ones to all.

Honestly examine your beliefs and expectations for different students (including unconscious biases).
Notice how expectations show up in your behavior (who you call on, challenge, feedback, warmth).
Deliberately hold and convey high expectations for every student.
Support students to meet them.

High expectations, conveyed to every studentTeacher beliefs shape behavior and student outcomes. Examine your expectations and biases, and deliberately hold and convey high expectations for every student.

Facilitator notes

Examine your own beliefs and biases.
Notice how expectations show in behavior.
Hold and convey high expectations for all, and support students to meet them.

Low or uneven expectations quietly limit studentsUnconscious, unevenly distributed low expectations shape behavior and limit students. Examine your beliefs, and convey high expectations to every student.

Adapt it

Elementary and secondary: the same.
All settings: examine beliefs, high expectations for all, convey and support.

Participant handout

One page for every teacher. Print it, or save it as a PDF.

K12 Academics · Professional Learning

Teacher Expectations: high, for every student

Beliefs become reality: examine your expectations and biases, and deliberately convey high expectations to all.

My beliefs and expectations for different students (including biases):
How expectations show up in my behavior:
How I hold and convey high expectations for every student:
How I support students to meet them:
A belief or pattern to examine:

Make it stick

High, for every student:

Examine and raise expectations.
Convey high expectations to all.
Bring an expectations shift to the next PLC.

Common questions

Do my beliefs about a student really affect them?

Yes. Expectations shape teacher behavior in subtle ways (who you call on, how you respond, the challenge and feedback you give), which shape students' self-belief and achievement. Beliefs become self-fulfilling.

How do expectations show up in my behavior?

In who you call on, how long you wait for answers, the difficulty you offer, the feedback you give, and warmth, often unconsciously and unevenly. These convey expectations.

How do I hold high expectations for all?

Examine your own beliefs and biases honestly, and deliberately convey high expectations through your behavior, challenge, support, and belief, for every student, not just some.