Language points 7 When a student' s work did not measure up to the teacher's expectations as often happened the students was not treated with disappointment, anger, or annoyance. Instead, the teacher assumed that this was an exception, an accident, a bad day, a momentary slip and the student believed her and felt reassured. The next time around, he tried harder, determined to live up to what the teacher knew he could do
Language Points 7 When a student’s work did not measure up to the teacher’s expectations, as often happened, the students was not treated with disappointment, anger, or annoyance. Instead, the teacher assumed that this was an exception, an accident, a bad day, a momentary slip — and the student believed her and felt reassured. The next time around, he tried harder, determined to live up to what the teacher knew he could do
Language Points 8 The exact part of communication that tells a child, "I expect the best, is difficult to pinpoint. In part it consists of a level tone showing assurance, a lack of verbal impatience, an absence of negative qualities such as irony, put-downs, and irritation. The teacher who expects the best asks her questions with conviction knowing the answers she gets will be right, and the child picks up that conviction 9 Most of this is transmitted through the voice, but a surprising amount is in the attitude in touch and in facial expression
8 The exact part of communication that tells a child, “I expect the best,” is difficult to pinpoint. In part it consists of a level tone showing assurance, a lack of verbal impatience, an absence of negative qualities such as irony, put-downs, and irritation. The teacher who expects the best asks her questions with conviction, knowing the answers she gets will be right, and the child picks up that conviction. 9 Most of this is transmitted through the voice, but a surprising amount is in the attitude, in touch, and in facial expression. Language Points
Language Points 10 An experiment similar to the one done with "gifted"children was done with gifted" 'mice. A scientist was given a group of ordinary mice but told that they were a special breed trained to run a maze in record time Working with these mice, the scientist found that they did learn faster than other mice and did run the maze more quickly
10 An experiment similar to the one done with “gifted” children was done with “gifted” mice. A scientist was given a group of ordinary mice, but told that they were a special breed, trained to run a maze in record time. Working with these mice, the scientist found that they did learn faster than other mice and did run the maze more quickly. Language Points
Language Points 11 But mice know nothing of our language. How was the scientist able to communicate his expectations to them? An examination of all the variables in the test concluded that the unusually good results were due to the way he had handled the mice the way he talked to them and the tone the confidence, the reassurance, and the certainty in his voice. They absorbed all the messages and performed accordingly
11 But mice know nothing of our language. How was the scientist able to communicate his expectations to them? An examination of all the variables in the test concluded that the unusually good results were due to the way he had handled the mice, the way he talked to them and the tone, the confidence, the reassurance, and the certainty in his voice. They absorbed all the messages and performed accordingly! Language Points
Language Points 12 In a broader view of both these experiments the teacher and the scientist used a principle common to all societies at all levels the principle of labeling All our expectations are prejudiced, and we have very different expectations for different people, even on a national level. We think of people in terms of national characteristics. We expect Americans to be greedy, after the big buck, and we label them that way in our minds. We label Germans neat and orderly, English cold, distant, and reserved, Italians emotional, Japanese polite-and so it goes. We pin a very narrow label on a very broad, far from homogeneous group. We do it on racial levels too, blacks are musical. Indians are stoic, Orientals inscrutable. We even label the sexes -men are aggressive, women passive
12 In a broader view of both these experiments, the teacher and the scientist used a principle common to all societies at all levels — the principle of labeling. All our expectations are prejudiced, and we have very different expectations for different people, even on a national level. We think of people in terms of national characteristics. We expect Americans to be greedy, after the big buck, and we label them that way in our minds. We label Germans neat and orderly, English cold, distant, and reserved, Italians emotional, Japanese polite — and so it goes. We pin a very narrow label on a very broad, far from homogeneous group. We do it on racial levels too. Blacks are musical, Indians are stoic, Orientals inscrutable. We even label the sexes — men are aggressive, women passive. Language Points