Ms. Kaplan is a new fourth grade teacher who feels passionate about helping students learn. She is teaching in a poverty-stricken area of Houston and knows that many of the students receive little academic support and encouragement at home. It's the fourth week of school, and she feels good about the way her class is progressing, learning routines, and meeting her expectations. Today she entered

Question

the teachers' lounge and heard two other teachers talking about Michael, one of her African American students. When she entered, they told her they had taught Michael in second and third grades. They warned her that Michael would cause trouble, fail to complete his work, and distract other children. They described Michael's poor academic performance and said his mom doesn't support the teachers' efforts. After Ms. Kaplan's experience in the teacher's lounge, consider the possible dilemmas that might arise regarding her expectations of Michael.

Describe common negative effects that might occur and explain how Ms. Kaplan might prevent such effects.

Answer 1

Suggested Response: Ms. Kaplan might be inclined to lower her expectations of Michael and determine that he will not be successful in her classroom. Her lower expectations might lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy for Michael. If so, Michael will live up to the lower expectations rather than continuing to do well in Ms. Kaplan's class. To prevent such negative effects, Ms. Kaplan should disregard the information shared inappropriately in the teacher's lounge. She should continue to provide both support and challenge for Michael and all of her students. She must make sure that she treats students equally, including Michael. She should guard against racial stereotypes and prejudice and see Michael as an individual who is capable of learning.
Text Reference: Teacher Expectations