Does anyone know the story about the teacher who was given the worst class in the school but told ...?

Question

Does anyone know the story about the teacher who was given the worst class in the school but told that they were the best, and in the same school, another teacher was given the best class in the school but told they were the worst. I've heard it at various conferences on a number of occasions but can't remember how it ended. Can anyone help me or point me to the source?

Thanks

Answer 1

It doesn't seem very likely to be more than an urban myth, given that teachers talk to one another and tend to know what kind of class they are getting, but I've heard it too.  It is intended to illustrate that children will live up to the expectations that are set for them.

Answer 2

dontknow but iopinion  shouldnt cloud judgement

i was told that the 7th grade from last year were a night mare- i had moved down to their grade and was pickign up the majority of their kids this year.

i  walked in thinking i would have all these problems and they have been my best classes. hard working -wanting to improve , perfect in many ways - but not perfect.

sure they have the lowest scores and ability but they are willing to learn with me and the rooms have such a great learning atmosphere!

so, the morale is that kids can change and be a clean slate. their behaviors can change if you give them high expectations and scaffold the to change with positivity.

Answer 3

urban myth.

Think about it - can you think of a more unethical situation?

We are supposed to be teaching critical thinking to our students.

Answer 4

can't help you with the exact source.

but you could try "self-fulfilling prophecy" at google, etc. -- how the teacher's preconceived notions & perceptions affected the performance of the class. the best class did not do well as the teacher perceieved them as dullards & treated them accordingly, setting very low goals for them; while the worst one came out toppers because of the teacher's belief in them & their abilities.....

hope this gets you started....

Answer 5

Yea, it's a pretty story but realistically it does more harm than good. It conveys that if a teacher really believes in his/her students, the students will do better, which then leads us to think that students who do poorly don't have teachers who believe in them. In actually, teaching is a very developed skill. High expectations are not feelings, they're actions that yield high results. So in truth, it's not the teacher that really believes in his/her students that will be successful, but the teacher who knows how to implement a curriculum based on consistent, high, yet realistic expectations.