Teacher Expectations

Research on expectations indicates that the expectations held by teachers and administrators for their students influence teacher decision making and student academic achievement. Robert L. Green has cited considerable data showing that expectations significantly influence student achievement at every level, from elementary school through graduate school. Teachers can and do influence a student's academic success, and high expectations and a belief that all students can and will learn play a critical role in student success.

Raising school achievement is important for individuals and for society. College graduates, for example, on average earn more than high school graduates and more than twice that of individuals without a high school diploma. A more educated population in a society means lower criminal justice costs, lower health care costs, and ...