The Gift of High Expectations Teaching
As we reflect on the fall and the first half of the school year, we also want to think of the coming year and set our intentions about how we will strengthen our students’ learning in 2024.
One of the surest routes to get us there comes through High Expectations Teaching.
High Expectations Teaching is built on the belief that the bell curve of innate ability is wrong. And while we examine the evidence behind that statement and its consequences for children, we must start acting as if we believed it, even if it feels uncomfortable at first.
It is easier to act yourself into a new way of thinking, than it is to think yourself into a new way of acting. |
It is within all of our reach to change both our own and our students' mindsets around the negative beliefs that are holding us back. Smart is something you can get." |
Like any other resolution, we must first believe that it is worthy - that believing in all our students is important. Next we must believe that, with commitment and practice, we can act our way into making this belief a reality.
This means learning the specific skills, behaviors and actions that accomplish the following tasks:
- Getting students to believe in themselves and their capacity to increase their ability and abandon the myth of the bell curve
- Convincing them WE believe in THEM. We create a surround sound environment that says at every turn: “What we’re doing is important. You can do it. And I’m not going to give up on you.”
- Teaching them the specifics of effective effort and how to exert it
- Teaching effective study tools for the academic disciplines
- Giving them structures and skills for managing their own learning (student agency and goal setting technology)
- Building groups of students into supports for one another
- Making sure they understand the key items to learn and what good performance would look like (No Secrets Teaching).
Teach Effective Effort
You Can Do It!
This may sound like a big undertaking, but it is achievable. The good news? There are specific skills and structures you can learn and employ to accomplish this goal. And, we're here to help you get beyond ideals to actual behaviors and strategies.
We have multiple concrete resources available to help you make this a resolution you can truly keep. Because we know that:
- This is important.
- You can do it!
- We won't give up on you.
Make learning these skills and structures a part of your New Year's resolution for 2024 and get ready to give both your students and yourself the gift of High Expectations.
