WHY POSITIVE EXPECTATIONS ARE

IMPORTANT

An EXPECTATION is what you believe youcan or can’t accomplish or what will or willnot happen.

HUMANS HAVE A SUCCESSINSTINCT: This is what makes humansdifferent from all other living things

What is a success and an expectation?

Types of Expectations

Prepare a statement of positive expectations for the first day of school.

Example: You will do well in this class and will get good grades and have an exciting year.

There are two types of expectations:

1. Positive (or high)

2. Negative (or low)

An optimistic person believes that whoever you teach or whatever you do will result in success or achievement

A pessimistic believes that whoever you teach or whatever you do will not work out or will fail.

Positive Expectations Negative Expectations

Optimism Pessimism

Who I teach and what I do will result in

success and achievement.

My efforts in the classroom will result in

failure.

Every child can and will learn. My students can’t or don’t want to learn.

Every child will reach his or her potential. My students will not focus or behave and

therefore can’t be successful in my

classroom.

I am a good teacher. I don’t know what I’m doing in the

classroom.

I will continue learning to become a better

teacher.

I despise in-service, conferences and

opportunities to continue my education.

Examples of

Positive vs. Negative Expectations

The odds are in your favor when you have high expectations for

yourself and your students.

You and your students are likely to fail when you set negative or

low expectations.

Do not spend your time or energy expecting to

achieve negative results. The higher your expectations,

the more success you will have.

This is also true for students and parents.

Expectations and standards are two different concepts.

Standards indicate levels of achievement.

High expectations will encourage students to reach your high standards.

Example: Tell your students that they will have a successful year and

will learn a great deal.

Doing so encourages them to reach your high standards of doing

well in class.

Give your students more than they expect, and you will get

back more than expected.” (Wang & Wang, p. 38)

Research indicates that students learn to the level at which their

teachers have set expectations. The higher your expectations, the better

academic performance your students will exhibit.

The two most important people to

young children are their parents and

teachers. BOTH can make a

difference by setting positive

expectations for students from day

one.

Develop a statement of positive expectations and share it with your students on the first day.

Set a personal goal of high expectations and have that same goal for your students.

Create an environment of positive expectations.

Communicate positive expectations.

CONCLUSIONS

You wont see

dramatic changes

overnight, but hang

in there and the

results will happen.

The important thing

is to never give up

kharlenia

Bibliography: The First Days of School (Wang and Wang)