How to Become Batman- NPR
This podcast begins with a discussion of expectations and rats. During an experiment rats who were thought of as smart were able to navigate a maze quicker than the rats who weren't thought of as dumb. In other words, the rats' performance had a direct correlation to others' expectations of them. I obviously made the connection right away to the expectations we place on our students. If we don't challenge or expect great things of a students, then why should they?
After all the talk about rats the podcast moves on to discuss bats and Batman. Daniel Kish, is blind and has been blind since he was very young, but his mother's expectations of him were as if he had 20/20 vision. She encouraged him to explore his community, venture out alone, and even ride a bike. These adventures weren't without mishaps though, Daniel would have accidents while learning to ride a bike, but just like my father would always tell me to do when I first learned to ride a bike, he just got up and tried again. During his school years Daniel came to know another blind young man, but it was quite obvious that this young man had a very different, much lower set of expectations place upon him. Daniel was able to get along just find without assistance, while his classmate had assistance. I have to say I am not surprised by this story and I readily make the connections to the classroom. I see it everyday- students who have high expectations tend to work to meet them. Meanwhile, the student who has been deemed "low" or "incapable" will fit those labels.
This story reminds me of the Noguera article we read last week, "Schools, Prison, and Social Implications of Punishment: Rethinking Disciplinary Practices" In that article Noguera argues that in too many cases students aren't challenged enough in the classroom and he witnessed that student expectations were lowered for particular students ( students of color).
When we lower student expectations were are not protecting them or doing them any favors, but hindering them. As teachers we need to consciously remind our students of their individual talents, strengths, and skills. We need to challenge them, even when they resist because hopefully along the way they realize they really are capable of overcoming anything.
I agree, if we view our students as "low" or "incapable" how will they ever get the chance to achieve? Society and teachers have already given them this label, so why bother trying at all? It is because of those terrible thoughts that go through so many of our students' heads that we need to invest more time into holding students accountable and having higher expectations. When someone actually believes in you, you are more likely to be successful.
ReplyDeleteHigh expectations has to be the standard. Our students may not reach those expectations all the time, but if we keep those expectations high then they will at least be moving forward rather than staying stagnant.
ReplyDeleteI read in an article that: "Your students will live up or down to your expectations. Student achievement is strongly affected by what the teacher expects of them and this has been demonstrated by many educational researchers. The first and most famous experiment is known as the Pygmalion effect." When we have high expectations from students, I think we give them more chance to succeed.
ReplyDeleteI think another part of this important work is challenging/debunking messages from our institutions, the media, and other spaces beyond our classrooms that demean or belittle students, or hold them to low (even criminal) expectations. That is, we must also work to change the deficit perceptions others hold of youth with disabilities, youth of color, immigrant youth, and emergent bilinguals.
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