Student Beliefs That Prevail Over Teacher Expectations

• In Event: Roundtable Session 14
  In Roundtable Session: Teachers' and Students' Perspectives and Beliefs About Each Other

Abstract

Teacher expectations can have self-fulfilling prophecy effects on student achievement. However, this relationship is dependent on students assimilating, and acting according to teachers’ expectations. Some students achieve well despite teachers’ low expectations. This study explored student beliefs about intelligence and self-efficacy as possibly mediating the effects of low teacher expectations. Controlling for achievement, students were grouped according to over- or under-estimation of their achievement by teachers. Low expectation students scored higher in mathematics if they attended a high socioeconomic school or they had high self-efficacy. Teachers had lower expectations for boys and Māori than was warranted and over-estimated high SES and Asian students. Pre-service teachers need to realize the importance of accurate student assessment and promotion of positive student self-beliefs.

Authors

• Christine Margaret Rubie-Davies, University of Auckland

• Matt Holliday, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor