Mary Ramberg, MMSD Teaching and Learning:
If nothing is expected of a man, he finds that expectation hard to contradict.
Frederick Douglas
The converse of what Frederick Douglas learned from his life experience has been tested and verified by educational researchers.
Research in Chicago schools looked at what happens when teachers expect more of students. In other words, if teachers expect much of students, are those expectations affirmed? The answer is “YES.”
When students are expected — and supported — to do high quality work and to learn important content, that’s exactly what they do.
Yes, Douglas’ statement is right on! It is why when the MMSD requires students who have already mastered the grade-level material to sit in classes with their age-peers repeating lessons they have already master they frequently achieve As while learning little other than that school is a boring waste of their time!