AVReading

  There is some truth to the oft quoted proverb, “Whether you believe you can or can’t, you are right.” While belief alone is not sufficient for task completion, it is necessary.   This holds true for both students, but even more importantly, for teachers and even schools. In one study, it was discovered that over the course of a year, students’ expectations of themselves often mirrored the expectations of their teachers. So teachers who expected their students to do well often did, and those who expected their students to struggle or fail often met with that fate as well (Midgley, Fedlauger, & Eccles 1989). Additionally, these results played out across entire school communities, which often compounds the effects of high-efficacy or even low-efficacy teachers.   And in one study, it was shown to be a greater predictor of success than the socio-economic status of the school’s students (Hoy, Sweetland, & Smith 2002). This is both an empowerin...