Differing Effects of Teachers' and Mothers' Inaccurate Beliefs: Evidence From Multiple Longitudinal Data Sets

• In Event: Sheraton Roundtable Session 10
  In Roundtable Session: Professional Development for New Futures

Abstract

Research on self-fulfilling prophecies in the classroom has shown teachers’ inaccurate perceptions about a child’s ability shape schoolchildren’s intellectual development in the direction of the misperception. This contrasts with prior research on parents’ misperceptions, which has shown that parents with accurate perceptions of their child’s abilities, compared to those with misperceptions, have children with higher achievement. The present project addresses the robustness of the evidence of differing effects of teachers’ and mothers’ misperceptions by considering these influences within two longitudinal datasets: the ECLS-K and NICHD SECCYD. Results suggest children’s reading and math achievement were differentially affected by the accuracy of adults’ perceptions. Teachers’ overestimation and mothers’ accurate estimation of third grader's abilities were associated with higher achievement in early adolescence.

Author

• Nicole S. Sorhagen, Millersville University