A Message to Teachers - Part III

In previous blog posts, I addressed the role of teachers in teaching literacy to all students.  To recap:

There are several factors that are imperative in literacy classrooms of highly effective teachers:

• A culturally responsive approach
• A reading and writing rich environment; and
• High expectations for all students

Please review my earlier posts that detailed the importance of culturally responsive teaching and establishing a print rich environment.  Now, let's address the need to have high expectations for all students.  My belief is simple, "No one rises to low expectations".  I also believe in the self-fulfilling prophecy.  According to Wikipedia, a self-fulfilling prophecy is a "prediction that directly or indirectly causes itself to become true, by the very terms of the prophecy itself, due to positive (or negative) feedback between belief and behavior."  In other words, ideas become reality simply because someone believes them.

If a teacher or parent tells a child that they are a poor reader, over time this will likely cause that child to believe it as well.  As a result, the child actually displays and demonstrates that he is a poor reader.  This is why having high expectations is paramount.  Behaviors that reinforce low expectations include:

• Seating students away from the teacher.  Proximity matters and students, especially struggling readers, can easily feel isolated if they are seated a great distance from the teacher.
• Paying less attention.  All students crave attention.  Constantly calling on students who are perceived to be bright while neglecting others, sends a negative message to struggling readers. 
• Providing less wait time.  When teachers have low expectations they will often not wait for an answer or give the answer before the student can respond.  How would this make you feel?
• Criticizing more.  This is a blatant display of low expectations. If a child does not feel valued, he is less likely to pay attention and more likely to misbehave.  Our most disenfranchised students are often criticized by others in their life and certainly do not need to be subjected to this in a classroom.
• Smiling at them less.  There is research that shows that a teachers smile and other nonverbal behaviors, impacts students' perceptions and performance.  A smile is such a simple and welcoming gesture.  It can say "hello" and it can even say "I believe in you!" 

By focusing on doing the opposite of the list above, teachers can influence a child's desire to learn.  High expectations are a must for all students!  Struggling or reluctant readers need it even more.  Teachers, take care of your students.  Respect their culture because it tells you who they are.  Provide plenty of opportunities to read because more really is better.  And above all else, believe in them and teach them to believe in themselves!  Happy Reading!