To know can a teacher’s expectations affect student learning…read on this article…!
The kind of teacher’s teaching the students has an absolute influence and expectations can affect on the student learning process. Students naturally tend to model their lifestyles based on the way their teachers portray themselves. One can attest to that fact. One way or the other, one tends to think, speak and act based on how one’s teachers are
A good teacher will always try to access the students to ascertain the strategies needed to inspire and motivate them to get the best out of them. As an effective teacher, you have to let students demand more from themselves instead of arrogantly making yourself the only option they have. Students have to be made conscious of the fact that they need to always study and prepare ahead of the teachers. As a teacher expects the students to be up and doing, they should endeavor to work hard. And get the necessary teaching and learning materials, and always be specific on the objectives expected of the students. When the teachers’ role is not playing well, then there will be a chance of getting unrealistic expectations.
How teacher’s expectations affect student learning
1. Make a promise when a target is achieved;
The gullibility of human minds tends to be influenced by promises, whether or not it’s fake. When a teacher makes a promise to reward students who could get a particular score or grade, it tends to push the students to work hard to get the score. The reason for the excessive hard work is not basically for the score or the grade but to get the reward promised by the teacher. “If anyone can get up to 95% on my exam, I wouldn’t mind giving the person a laptop,” said the physics teacher at a high school like that. The teacher observed that the students were completely indifferent and lacked interest in the subject; however, he came up with that strategy even though he was making a fake promise. After the examination, the teacher recorded massive success in the score with over 70% average. The most interesting part of it was that two students got a 98% score in the subject. Such expectations pushed the students to improve their learning.
2. Negative Visualization;
In this particular strategy, the teacher will tell the students what would happen to them if they fail to pass the subject. In this regard, the fear of being punished, ridiculed, or scolded by the teacher will propel the students to learn extremely hard. A Mathematics teacher couldn’t continue to bear the consistent massive failure of his students. During the exams, the math teacher told the students that for every question they failed, there would be an equal number of the can that would be flogged.
The fear of punishment for failing a subject made the student excel in that subject.
3. Inspire the spirit of self-belief;
Most of us are a product of encouragement. We keep getting better and succeeding because someone is always cheering us on. A great teacher has to keep reminding students that the only limit is the one they put on themselves as a result of their thinking. And to never believe in failure but only see failure as an indicator for improvement and growth. When a teacher keeps telling students, “you can do it! Believe it. Nothing can stop you! Never give up!” Such words of encouragement will make the students demand more of themselves to succeed in learning.
4. Teachers’ Attitude;
A teacher who keeps terrorizing the students with negative words, calling them all sorts of names, especially when the students offend the teacher or fail to follow along with the students…. Such a negative attitude towards the students will lead to unmet expectations. You don’t expect depressed, frustrated, and stranded students to perform well in the classroom. Not possible!
How student learning is affected with teacher’s expectations
1. Feel more Confident;
When expectations are met, the positive feeling associated with it is great. It makes you think like a god, pumped and motivated. The Confidence derived from actualized expectations tends to prepare students for life experience and build personal and professional goals.
2. It creates the attitude of faith;
You can’t have faith without having hope. Most economies of the world prospered because of consistent positive expectations, which turned into strong faith. That’s the reason behind the success of economically viable nations. When they make 5-10 years economic plans, there are high expectations to achieve such plans. And with consistent action on the plans, it will turn into reality. Therefore the students trained with high expectations for success will help to change the world.
3. Gaining Approval of Teacher;
The students who could exceed the exceptions of their teachers will be respected by the teachers. Sometimes, such students will be exempted from certain punishments the class will have to undergo.
4. To build leaders that establish a mindset of high expectations in the society;
There’s an adage that says, “death is the only thing that can stop a student from becoming a teacher.” Teaching mustn’t be classroom stuff but impacting wisdom and knowledge to others. Students will certainly transfer the expectations emulated from the teacher over to whoever they will be mentoring. With regards to that, people will never settle for less when they know that best is possible.
5. I must always do well mentality;
When teachers constantly expect the students to do well, the students will naturally adopt the mindset of maximum performance and keep striving to do well irrespective of failure. Students wouldn’t like their teachers to be disappointed, maybe because of a lack of commitment to meet up with teachers’ expectations, and this, in turn, improves learning.
Conclusion:
When the student becomes aware that their teachers expect them to know more, read ahead, and perform at their very best, then that’s the best possible teaching strategy. The point is that everyone wants to feel noticed and loved by their teachers because a lot of immunity covers those students who have gotten the approval and the admiration of their teachers.
