Self-Fulling Prophecy: Course Analysis

Teachers rarely interact with students without some expectancies about how they will perform academically (Trouilloud, 2002). Trouilloud asserts that expectations are thought out as assumptions that teachers make about the academic performance of their students, based on the information they know about their students (Trouilloud, 2002). These assumptions can be either objective based on the student's past achievement or subjective based on teacher’s prejudices and stereotypes (Trouilloud, 2002). Trouilloud research revealed a strong connection between teachers expectation and students overall academic achievement (Trouilloud, 2002). In other words, the higher the expectation teachers have towards students, the higher the students’ academic achievement (Trouilloud, 2002).

Victoria Dickerson is a second year teacher at Carolina High School teaching in the Self-Contained special education classroom. Victoria’s expectations for her students are high and she often uses innovative techniques which include project-based learning strategies. Her students are always solving real world problems that will not only prepare them for work but provides them with the necessary life skills they need to be productive after high school. The students in the classroom range from being low-functioning intellectually disabled students to students how are on the middle school level in reading and are categorized as learning disabled. Even with the population she serves, she still challenges her students to be excellent. During

As students were forced into their growth of knowledge in elementary school and middle school by continuously being taught basics, in order to prepare them for high school and beyond, they get to gain their freedom and decide whether or not they want to meet their teachers’ marks in high school. Throughout the school year, there comes a time where students have to sign up for classes. By having this choice, students can decide on how they want to challenge themselves in the next school year. During my two and a half years of high school that I have conquered so far, I learned that in a classroom setting there are students who take advanced courses, enjoy the subjects that they chose to take, and try their best to get the best grades that they can receive, in order to prepare them for their future in adulthood. However, there are also students who do not try or realize the importance of the free education given to them because they do not have an interest in the subjects that teachers are teaching them or are just being forced by their students to attend school. Some teachers try their best to bring out the motivation in these students who do not yet see that education is power and freedom, but there are also teachers who ignore these helpless students that are blinded by the present things that affect them like popularity or living with the motto that “you only live once”, because these teachers do not have the inspiration in the

Rosenthal and Jacobson's (1968) study on self-fulfilling prophecies focuses on the effects of teacher's expectations on their student's performance capabilities and the resulting outcome these implications have on the student's academic improvements. By falsely informing student’s teachers of individual student’s increased potential for knowledge growth at the beginning of the semester, they were able to study both the regular students and the students with supposed increased intelligence throughout the year to evaluate how the teacher’s perception of these students could have impacted the student's academic behavior. While the independent variable in the study was the expectations the teachers had formed of the students, the dependent variable

So if we place our students in an environment that supports their efforts to learn we can conclude that our students will learn and actualize their potential. Studies in the health field have shown that when a person is in a socially supportive environment they are known to use positive methods to overcome undesirable situations. So, we can conclude that if a student is in a socially supportive environment and have a good teacher-student relationship then they too will use positive methods for succeeding in the classroom. It is believed by Abraham Maslow that everyone comes to a point of self-actualization, meaning that there is a need to develop all of one’s potential talents and capabilities (Snowman, J. (2015). But this can only be achieved in an environment where one can develop all of the lower “Hierarchy of Needs,” such as safety, belongingness and love, and esteem. Without the lower tiers being developed, one can not come to self-actualization. Only in a supportive classroom can this be

Students will become what their teachers believe they can become. If a teacher believes a student lacks motivation and is in the lower level class, such as the vocational track instead of the college track, often times the students won’t care or put in effort to succeed. The expectations or absence of them, damages the future of these students and their yearning for greatness. Mike Rose recounts his years in vocational school in the short story, “I Just Wanna Be Average” as he struggles with physical abuse from his teachers that utilized their power to control the ill-mannered youths, coupled with his lack of desire to learn, only to discover how one educator could transform his view on education.

I believe each and every student is capable of learning and achieving academic success, however some children require individualized support to ensure their success. A strength I posses that supports high academic expectations for all Houston ISD students is my ability to motivate and empower young children of all types to want to be successful. I am committed to creating a classroom culture where high expectations are set and most importantly constantly communicated to students. I have the ability to lead and differentiate engaging lessons where the diverse learning needs of all students are supported. I am a teacher that believes high academic expectations will be met when lessons are presented in a way that suits all learning styles. I use classroom management strategies to set students up for success.

Robert K. Merton (1910 – 2003) Professor of sociology invented the word self fulfilling prophecy to help make tangible and popular the idea that some pronouncement or statement positive or negative can alter peoples action to bring about fulfillment of same pronouncement. It is, however a tragedy of human nature and experience that negative thoughts, ideas statements and actions bond more easily than positive ones. The word self fulfilling prophecy conveys an impression of a prophecy/statement that alters action

Every student is different, from how they learn to how much effort do they put in when studying. But with the right teacher guiding them to success, nothing is impossible. So, how do we motivate the future generation to succeed in school? The Perils and Promise of Praise, by Carole S. Dweck. The author focus on how to motivate students to succeed in school. From how you talk to them, motivate them to learn and rewarding them.

The first two chapters of this book set the background for student development and how theory has evolved over the years. As time passed and college student demographics changed, new ideas and views were developed to understand the ever changing student body. Theorists realized that the college experience was different between demographic groups. Being able to develop student affairs practices and activities that can reach the different student groups is probably the biggest challenge a student affairs professional will tackle. It is said that student development is most achieved by involvement by the students. This means that these activities must be designed to accommodate students from all walks of life.

Successful teaching occurs when the teacher is able to select the most efficient method for reaching out to each student’s individual style of learning and inspire students to rise to their highest potential. While the responsibilities of a teacher are extensive (as one can serve as a teacher, a friend, a counselor, a disciplinarian, an entertainer, a facilitator), I believe that students should play a big part in shaping own education as well.

The teacher analyzed and used the student information to create instruction that caters for the students’ diverse needs. The teacher also helped develop positive beliefs and attitudes in the students to boost their academic perseverance

explanation as to why the teacher will not help the student reach their goals. When students grow

What does today’s society expect from students? A question that can either end with a positive or negative answer. With any kind of education there comes responsibility, commitment, and consequences. As a student, one must develop qualities in him or her to enable him or her to lead a successful life. The older one gets the higher people’s expectations seem to be. Many of the expectations set for students may be the same, but the repercussions of the actions one choses to take are what differs the most.

When teachers have low expectations of students their learning is negatively impacted and affected in several different ways. The teacher’s and the students’ attitude to their work is wrapped in low motivation, because teachers seem to think that because much is not expected and if the teacher lacks effective strategies for working with such students, then the outcome of success is low then they are less likely to want to teach these students and teach them well. If per chance the student notices the teacher’s attitude towards them then again it doesn’t work well as it is perceived as evidence of their low competence and the drive to perform well is erased.