Posted by:
Sonia Nieto
University
Amherst, MA

Topic:
Sonia Nieto's thoughts

Message:
I believe that sometimes schools and teachers do send messages of low expectations, although these messages may be unintended. For instance, in their attempt to be sensitive to language minority students, some teachers may ask them to do work that is too simple. In another example, when course selection time comes around, teachers and counselors sometimes encourage their lower-achieving students to opt for lower-level classes believing that in this way, students will avoid the frustration they may experience in higher-level classes.

In both cases, teachers may be acting in what they believe are the best interests of their students, and they might be right. Sometimes, however, their good intentions can result in students believing that teachers don’t have much confidence in their abilities. Hence, teachers should sometimes push students to take more demanding classes where the expectations are high and the work is rigorous. They may end up being surprised at the determination and hard work of students when they are pushed to excel.

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