The is the last entry for 2009-10 GHS Team Learning.
The authors cite in research that concludes a climate of "high expectations" for student achievement is a critical element of effective schools, but then suggest that the term has been widely misunderstood and misapplied. Calrify the nature of "high expectations" in a PLC.
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High expectations are correctly applied when: 1. Teachers not only act as cheerleaders for their students, but also give them the tools/skills to succeed.
ReplyDelete2. Schools not only raise the bar to demand more from students, but expand the skills of their teachers and provide students with additional support.
3. Schools do not look outward for the district to provide more resources, the state to change legislation, or the parents to send us more capable children, but rather look within to collectively meet the needs of the students we have been given.
We are very fortunate to have the population of kids we do at GHS and creating a stretch culture among teachers as well as students will help us all srive for continuous improvement.
I think this also goes along with the notion of needing more than structural changes in the school. It also requires cultural changes. A PLC needs teachers working together and, more importantly, wanting to work together to improve their students' performance and learning. It's easy to tell us to do it, but do we really want to because let's face it, we're all busy. It's hard to make time to meet with colleagues and create common assessments and plan things out, especially if they want to do things that you don't. However, it helps to do this. It really does. We need to stop teaching in the vacuum of our own little classrooms and realize that we can't do it alone. Our students are just too complex nowadays, much like life. Teaching isn't simple anymore and it's only going to get more and more complicated. Having "high expectations" is more than just expecting students to make an "A" on the test. It's about getting them to want to learn, which is hard, almost impossible for some. We have to have high expectations for ourselves, not just the students.
ReplyDeleteI always thought that I set high expectations for my students (especially my honors level students) but after reading this chapter, I realize that I may have been doing so under false pretenses. I love the allusion/analogy to Pygmalion by Shaw. Professor Higgins knew that with his assistance, he could literally transform Eliza into a "duchess." Looking back, I do feel confident in my abilities to teach honors kids and lead them to success, but is it because they are the ones who are already equipped with what they need to succeed? The answer is likely, yes. They are not Eliza Dolittle, starting out with minimal skills and resources. I guess that if I taught kids who were of the kind that struggle in school and had already experienced many failures, I don't know if I would have the self-confidence required for the correct application of "high expectations."
ReplyDeleteTo answer the blog focus question, high expectations correctly applied, is expressing the belief in students' abilities, but more importantly teachers showing the confidence and self-efficacy needed to help these students reach their potential. Sometimes we do not need the interventions of school board, district or state legislatures to help us with this. We need to rely on ourselves and each other.
Teaching special education for the last 14 years has made me very aware of my own interpretation of "high expectations". Each year I start with the notion that my students will improve their skills, pass their courses, and pass the HSAP. I set out with many ambitious plans to teach my students and begin the year with a fairly high level of intensity. I tell my students that work for my class comes first and then they can work on assignments for other classes. Inevitably, as the year moves forward, I find myself allowing my students to work on their other class assignments more and more. My priorities shift more and more to helping them be successful in the general curriculum instead of focusing on their individual skills needs that I am suppossed to be addressing. I allow them to make up assignments during my class, take tests during my class, work on projects my class, and study for tests during my class. While this helps the student with his general curriculum class, it takes more and more time away from my instructional time. Am I setting high expectations for my students????? Am I teaching them responsibilty? Or, am I enabling them to put assignments off or not study or do homework at home. Are they coming to believe that Mrs. McDonald will help me get through my other classes? When does the responsibility come back to them?
ReplyDeleteI want my students to be successful! I want to set high expectations for them and help them understand that success takes hard work on my part and theirs!
I revisit this question of high expectations every school year, every semester, and essentially every day. I know that each year I need to monitor and change the way I teach in order to meet the needs of my students, and I need to try and balance my instruction between my students' individual academic needs and their needs in the general curriculum.
High expectations in a PLC place highly motivated and qualified teachers with students. Students are expected to perform at a certain level and teachers find new ways to help their students attain this success. Students are encouraged through alternate assessment to become leaders, work in groups, and create usuable products based on the material standards being presented. By finding new, creative ways to present the material my students will better meet their fullest potential not only in my class but in life. This can only be accomplished by getting teachers, parents, and students to buy into the idea and everyone work together for the common goal.
ReplyDeleteEach year I begin with high expectations of my classes. I have to -my classes are held to the standards of an EOC and/or an advanced placement exam. However, I do modify and adjust according to the ability and motivation level of my students. After each unit in US History, for example, I evaluate what worked and what didn't and where do we go from here. My priorities for my seminar US History and AP are for them to perform well on their benchmark quizzes, and their EOC. Of course, I would love for them to learn and appreciate history as they go. Some students take longer to "buy in" to the idea of adhering to a pacing guide. I concur with Debra on the idea that success takes hard work on both our parts.
ReplyDeleteI think it is important for every class room and every teacher to maintain high expectations for their students. I think that in order to have high expectations teachers need to work together to determine not only what it is for their particular group of students but then they also need to work together in how to achieve those expectations. I think that we need to remember that every student no matter who they are or what level they are currently achieving can do more and can achieve more. However, with that being said we also need to recognize that high expectations will not be the same across the board. Coming from a special education perspective, to hold a child with a 50 IQ to the same “high expectations” as a student with an IQ of 100 makes no sense, but that doesn’t mean that both students can’t be pushed to achieve more. When teachers work together for a certain course such as an English I or an Algebra 1 part 1 course, then I think would be reasonable to come up with a set of high expectations for the “typical” students that would be enrolled in that course but at the same time be willing to take into account that you will have students that don’t fit the mold and be willing to come back together and say “okay, now what?” for certain kids. Being able to work collaboratively allows teachers to share ideas and teaching strategies to help answer that “now what?” question. It seems to me that is becoming a question that is asked more and more frequently because students do not want to be pushed and they seem to want to do just enough. Hopefully though as students begin to get used to high expectations the expectations can continue to change and become higher and higher for our students. I think it is good to remember that just because a student meets the expectations we set doesn’t mean that we as educators are then “done”; it just means we push them even further.
ReplyDeleteHigh Expectations in a PLC use motivated teachers who are qualified in helping students learn. Student are to perform at a certain leval, but the teachers are to help them achieve that level. Student are helped by using methods such as groups and making products based on teh standards covered. The teacher can help the students achieve by finding new ways to present the material other than just lecturing all day. This can be accomplished once the school districts, teachers, communities ,and student buy into this idea.
ReplyDeleteIn a PLC, it is important that we as teachers have high expectations of ourselves, and an obvious passion for what we teach. Having the confidence in ourselves that we CAN make a difference in our students lives and as a school, we can collectively create a culture where our students may strive to do better and have higher expectations of themselves. Work together to compare notes on student outcomes, address weaknesses in students and build on strengths, verify students understand the learning goals, determine how we know if a student has learned, etc. It is a process, but attainable if we have confidence in ourselves and our students learning.
ReplyDeleteThe line from the book that really stuck out to me was the quote at the beginning of the chapter that said we have to move from thinking about how good we HAVE to be and focus on how good we CAN be. This really summed up high expectations to me. It’s not so much about every student having the same goals; it’s about each student achieving all that they personally can achieve. It’s like the old Army saying, “Be all that you can be”. Each person’s maximum ability may be different - we can’t all be brain surgeons (I know I can’t), but we all can reach our personal maximum potential if we are pushed to do so. Also, the authors discussed how simply “raising the bar” is not creating high expectations. We must provide a support system for those students. Just because we say that all students will learn certain things, doesn’t mean they will if we don’t provide the adequate support needed.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the statements in the book that essentially "high expectations" have very little to do with standards, benchmarks, and "raising the bar" through forced legislation (NCLB), funding, or any of those structures. I believe it has much more to do with Vygotsky's idea of ZPD "the distance between the actual developmental level as determined by independent problem solving and the level of potential development as determined through problem solving under adult guidance, or in collaboration with more capable peers". If we strive to expand the ZPD and move to ever higher levels WITH supervision, then students will get to the point of reaching high expectation without supevision, eventually. This concept supports the ideas of interventions, and some of Debra McDonald's finding herself using Special Ed time as a place to give support for other subjects. I find I do the same and have the same struggle in ESOL. But eventually, most students do move on to independently meeting higher expectations.
ReplyDeleteI also think the self-efficacy for staff, as well as for students, is the key. And just as students need to operate in a ZPD with teacher guidance, so does staff need to have mentoring to move to higher levels of teaching skill and be able to know or find ways to help all students learn.
Teaching to standards and concepts, not tests.
ReplyDeleteMost standards (especially in the fine arts and vocational areas) already include verbs to indicate high expectations. Create, Analyze, Interpret...Bloom's Taxonomy states these as the higher levels of learning.
The book points out that High Expectations is more than just about student abilities but also about teacher self-efficacy. Good point. We need to keep reminding ourselves that the main issue is learning, even more than teaching.
ReplyDeleteBut there's also a sense in which high expectaions means that we expect of our students certain aspects of character or behavior--which admittedly might be lacking but can be practiced.
It really comes down to culture: a good culture is one where the teachers expect to be able to help any student, get any student to learn a lot; but also where the students are expected to try to learn a lot. It takes both elements.
High expectations in a PLC make learning not teaching the main purpose of a school. Teachers are clear about their expectations and frequently monitor each student's learning through collaboratively developed common assessments. When students are not successful, additional time and support is provided in a systematic way.
ReplyDeleteBarth's quote "Ultimately, a school's culture has far more influence on life and learning in the schoolhouse than the state department of education, the superintendent, the school board, or even the principal can have" really stood out to me. We "in the schoolhouse" are responsible for a great deal and truly can make a difference.
The books states some educators think they are demonstrating high expectations by expressing their belief in the ability and self-worth of their students, giving them positive affirmations,and by making sure students feel good about themselves. High expectations requires more than being a cheerleader. Students are expected to perform at a certain level and teachers find new ways to help their students attain this success. Students are encouraged through alternate assessment to become leaders, work in groups, and create usuable products based on the material standards being presented. In order for students to achieve at higher levels, teachers and staff must work collaboratively.
ReplyDeleteHigh Expectations should be communicated as a direct and clear vision in a PLC. It is important for the student to fully and clearly understand the expectations of the individual teacher and classroom. It is imperative that the enviroment of the school express these expectations as well. Are all the teachers on the same level for student learning expectations? Common assessments and course outlines should show the same level of high expectations regardless of who is teaching the subject. The student is the one who benefits from teachers working together to maintain the high level of expectations in a PLC
ReplyDeleteMy wife teaches at a small private school in Lexington, and when I stop by to visit and enter her classroom, the children all stand at their desks. She tells me that when they come to her classroom each day, they all take out their books, notebooks, sharpen their pencils, and are ready to go to work when the bell rings. Do you think the students do these things because they grew up in homes where children stand when an adult enters the room? Probably not. They do them because there is an expectation in every classroom in that school that they will. I don't know how many folks out there would agree with me, but I see great value in starting with the small things, letting them add up to become big things. If young folks are expected to act like students, maybe they will stand a better chance of becoming students. I think that is how a culture is created or changed.
ReplyDeleteWithin a true PLC, high expectations are not simply superficial. There has to be substance, self-confidence in oneself before confidence in the students. I am not a "cheerleader", but I do let my students know when they "get it". I liked Bentley's response about realizing there is a difference between teaching honors students as compared to teaching low-level students. It is not the same thing. You must have great self-confidence in order to tackle some of the issues. You must also handle these students differently than other groups, because sometimes their home life creates an obstacle/burden that they carry during school.
ReplyDeleteHigh Expectations in a PLC use motivated teachers who are qualified in helping students learn. Student are to perform at a certain level, but the teachers are to help them achieve that level. Student are helped by using methods such as groups and making products based on teh standards covered. The teacher can help the students achieve by finding new ways to present the material other than just lecturing all day. This can be accomplished once the school districts, teachers, communities ,and student buy into this idea.
ReplyDeleteI think next year will be a year of growth for both students and teachers. With the implementation of computers it will raise the expectations for teachers as well as students. Because students will demand more from us we will have to rely on each other more to help raise the bar for ours students. This is why PLC and high expectations are so important within a school.
ReplyDeleteIf we have high expectations for ourselves as far as the students' learning and behavior go, then the rest can and most likely will fall in to place. Holding high standards for the students and giving them the belief that they can reach those standards is essential. Some people's or teachers' definition of 'high expectations' vary, which is a problem. In a general sense, a school's expectations should be the same; having a uniformed, robotic approach to the teaching, however, is not the best, most effective way to reach 'high expectations.' Indeed, collaboration and discussion is a must for the students' needs, but not all classrooms are of the same demographics as the class across the hall and therefore a unified test or teaching approach may not be the best option for that class' needs. Only the teacher inside the classroom knows what his or her class needs and this comes down to teacher accountability and responsibility which is also essential for any school. Therefore, a PLC school is one that grows due to collaboration and overall concern and uniformity when it comes to doing what is BEST for the students.
ReplyDeleteAccording to Chapter 10, “The staff members’ perception of their own personal and collective ability to help all students learn is far more critical” than either cheerleading (positive affirmation) or raising the bar (increasing demands). The authors claim that teachers misinterpret the definition of “high expectations,” but I feel every form of high expectation qualifies…there are simply several varieties of high expectation. The DuFours feel that high expectations are more about teachers truly believing that they can make a difference. Only after teachers believe in their own ability to improve the education and success of their students will they notice a change. I won’t refute this, but isn’t this more having high expectations for ourselves than it is for our students? As Poynor said, we need to expect more learning from our students and more assistance on our own part. Without both, the equation won’t balance.
ReplyDeleteI believe high expectations are crucial. In a PLC teachers, school districts, parents, students and the community must come together to accomplish this. As a teacher/coach I realize the benefits of high expectations every day. I believe life is a self fulfilling destiny. During my high school days, I had a teacher who read a poem to us and I remember it to this day. A line in it went something like this."Out in the world we find success begins with a fellas will, it's all in a state of mind".
ReplyDeleteHigh expectatations require more than making students feel good about themselves,requires more than cheerleading.Demanding more of students, raising the bar, doesn't necessarily improve learning as well. What is probably most important with the concept of high expectations is teachers perception of their own personal and collective ability to help all students learn.The cornerstone of high expectations is one's own ability to impact the outcome of students learning.
ReplyDeleteHigh expectations in a PLC is the positive inferences teachers make about the future academic achievement of their students. The self- efficacy of the school’s staff, our belief that it is within our grasp to impact the achievement of our students in a positive way. We need to have the confidence that we can make a difference ----whatever it takes!
ReplyDeleteIn this chapter everything comes full circle. The 2 questions,"What do we want our students to know?" and "How will we know if they have learned?", are repeated as ways to promote self-efficacy. I like the suggestions made in this chapter, and I think I can work toward these, how about you? The author states that the entire staff must practice using classroom assessments to monitor and adjust. The CPS clickers are ideal for this; they would help students get immediate feedback. Most of the time I can give immediate feedback but not take the grade because they have graded them themselves. They don't work as hard if they don't think the grade will count. I liked the analogy of Apollo 13 and the collaborative effort made to bring the astronauts back to earth safely. Our students' lives depend on the teachers working together to bring them to feeling good about education and wanting to be successful in our classrooms.
ReplyDeleteThis is an interesting question, a matter of deciding whether you are to "Talk the Talk, AND Walk the Walk." This chapter basically says that a school can provide all types of new programs, tools,strategies, technology, etc...but "it is virtually impossible to improve the achievement levels of large numbers of students across all abilities and backgrounds unless teachers are clear and consistent regarding what they expect students to learn in each course." I agree that it will necessitate a cultural change in our school community. I have come to learn over the years, and it may be trite, but students will only jump as high as you set the bar. It is necessary to set expectations at a high level, AND be consistent in these expectations. I think these high expectations are not only reflected in what we expect as far as our students' performance academically but also behavior, dress, relationships with peers and teachers. You cannot "say" you have high expectations in one area and not the other. It should be pervasive in every aspect of our school. It is a "Package Deal!" I really feel that we are being stretched in the expectations our leadership is providing us as teachers...and sometimes stretching is a little painful. It is amazing to me though how the application of the principles of a PLC can create such an environment of teamwork. We probably need to focus more on creating an atmosphere of success within our school for not just our upper level students, but also for those students who struggle. Years ago, our school provided rewards for not only those who were on honor roll, but also those who were working to raise their achievement levels and were succesful. This needs to be an important component of creating our culture of achievement and success here at GHS. Additionally, we need to continue to focus on student learning and creating the strategies as a PLC that will meet the challenge of ensuring all students succeed!
ReplyDelete“Expectation” comes from the Latin “Expectare” which means, “to look forward to (some occurrence or outcome).” So, we come back to the 3 questions posed by the authors: What do we “expect” all students to learn?, How will we know when each student has acquired the intended knowledge?, and How will we respond when students experience difficulty? On page 180 the authors define high expectations as “the positive inferences teachers make about the future achievement of their students.” They go on to say that demonstrating high expectations is not just surrounding students with positive affirmations. They add that if “we raise the bar for student learning and demand more of students, will they rise to meet the challenge?” I think that the key is to help students take responsibility for their own learning and to support them when they experience difficulty. But the content that we teach is only a portion of successful behaviors needed in life. A search on the Internet about “Skills Employers Seek Most” turns up a MULTITUDE of similar websites that discuss “Soft Skills”. These include interpersonal abilities, leadership potential, and personal qualities such as integrity, work ethic, and responsibility. According to the website, wblconnections.com, while “specific technical skills are necessary to get a job, soft skills are essential for success.” In addition, many websites add that most employers feel that they can teach their new employees the needed technical skills, but if that new employee can’t work with people and does not have personal responsibility, they will end up being a liability. In conclusion, as educators, we always believe that our students can achieve at high levels academically if we support them by offering extra help and time, by constantly encouraging them to stay positive about learning and by working hard. For the most part I believe that we can be proud of the job that we do on a daily basis. Test scores and school report cards do not always reflect the lives that we have touched or changed; many times we do not even hear of these successes until many years later. Our highest expectation should be that our students work hard, study, turn in assigned work, ask for help when they need it, and have the personal responsibility to do “Whatever It Takes” to be successful in a social as well as academic context.
ReplyDeleteLike most teachers,I begin every school year with high expectations for my students and for my ability to help them master the standards in the course and possibly influence their future. The challenge is to continue to push...even when we are physically and emotionally spent. We have to model for our students the "real world" where employers will expect them to give their best every day and under every circumstance. Like Collen mentioned, we have to maintain those high expectations in course work, behavior, dress, and ability to communicate with others. If all of us can maintain these high expectations, we will hopefully witness our students become productive citizens of the 21st century. We have to push to do more! I recently received an e-mail from a professor at Cornell who had a logo attached to his signature that read: "Those who can, do. Those who can do more, TEACH!" To help create our PLC, I know I will have to do more!
ReplyDeleteAfter teaching a year of Leadership 21, I truly understand the level of high expectations among students and teachers. The staff who taught this class were top notch and worked their tails off to get the students to perform excellent public speaking projects. All the public speaking projects were meant to develop high expectations for when they exit our class and present in other classes and the Senior Presentation.
ReplyDeleteHIgh expectations in a school need to be above and beyond. They need to stem from discipline, dress code, athletics, academics, and every aspect of a student's life at GHS. It does not matter where they are in our school, high expectations should the the rule not the exception. If these expectations are not met by everyone in the school a PLC will not work.
High expectations for students begin when educators realize there is always room for improvement. There should always be a reach for something higher and better and a teacher should never settle for what works well for “most” students. The average methods should not be used just because they worked once. Times and students change and educators have to keep up. Chapter 10 says teachers should, “make [inferences] about the future academic achievement for their students.” We should always be looking ahead to see what will work and be challenging for our students next. But, not only should we look at our student’s abilities and how to teach them, we should also look at our own abilities and how capable we are of teaching what the students need.
ReplyDeleteConfidence is key!
High expectations in a PLC is defined as the positive inferences teachers make about the future academic achievement of their students. This is a critical element in effective schools. It requires more than cheerleading or just raising the bar and demanding more of the students. It is the belief about our own ability to accomplish the task - help all students learn. This belief in our own ability to impact achievement in a positive way is the foundation of a culture of high expectations.
ReplyDeleteChapter 10 describes high expectations in a PLC as "a culture that stretches the hopes, aspirations, and performance of students and adults alike." Setting high expectations for students means asking them to think outside of the box (outside of their comfort zone) and try more challenging work. Setting high expectations also applies to teachers. Teachers are expected to develop and use effective teaching strategies in their classroom. Teachers are expected to believe that all students can achieve at a higher level, even the highest performing students.
ReplyDeleteThe quote on the first page of this chapter "Good stretch goals move people's focus from a determination to be as good as we have to be and asks instead, how good can we be" reminded me of a phrase I heard in a recent seminar - "How can we overcome the 'good enough to get by' syndrome?" In the library I see so many students waste time when they come in with their classes, and then later come in at the last minute and produce a 'good enough' document that will be turned in at the last minute. It makes me want to cry because at that point, 'good enough' is all that is possible. I don't know what the solution is!
ReplyDeleteI believe our administration has done a great job helping us to share our successes with the monthly staff development mini-lessons from departments. Each department's pride in their own accomplishments has been evident, and it makes me wish I could be a student in that class! On p. 181, the author discusses how "the staff members' perception of their own personal and collective ability to help all students learn..." I believe these monthly sessions have helped our entire faculty have a better perception of how we are helping students at GHS learn. These celebrations of small steps have really helped our PLC grow!
I agree with most that it is fairly easy to get good results with 'high expectations' when you have a class of honors, or even medium to upper level students. When it comes to the lower level kids, one teacher may not be able to reach them all, but if each teacher can reach at least ONE STUDENT that struggles or fails most or all of their classes, then we can chip away at some of the frustrations the students or we may encounter. Every person is different. Thus students and teachers are all unique where some combinations work and some do not. I have high expectations of all my students, but if I know that I've reached at least one per class, to do a little better than they normally would, then I feel good. Things evolve and change over a semester and even the last couple weeks of the year, but overall if there is a higher level of knowledge achieved by the student or students, we have done our job.
ReplyDeleteTeachers must always strive to think and work outside their comfort zones to grow as an educator. Most students and many teachers will whine about change/challenge, I guess it is human nature to resist change. I once read that the real key to raising a child's self esteem is to challenge them to reach a goal and when they achieve their goal, their self esteem increases. Of course, we see that every day in students that acheive any measure of success in the class room, or in competitions. Educators must set goals and meet challenges daily and we should expect excellence in our students also/
ReplyDeleteHigh expectations for PLC involves motivation, determination and inpiration. Teachers must be willing to collaborate; it is easy to say we will, and hard to find the time to do so. It has helped me, especially in US History, as we gain ideas and try to make our course fit the guide and find ways to push students to accept the high expectations that we set - the benchmark quizzes and the EOC Test are higher order thinking and getting students to this level is a challenge, but we must not give up when we are frustrated. Being effective as a PLC is an on-going process and we must willing to work hard, listen to each other and especially to remember that we are here to develop learners, not just teach our subject matter.
ReplyDeleteThe nature of “high expectations” in a PLC “requires more than cheerleading,” raising the bar and providing the support needed to students in order to get there, and self-efficacy as the “cornerstone of a culture of high expectations.” Taking the “confidence in one’s own ability and combining it with the caring and compassion that characterize all great teachers” while “[looking] in the mirror for solutions” will get us on the right track to emphasize learning in a Professional Learning community. However, what will make the biggest difference is our belief that we can do it.
ReplyDeleteHigh expectations for the modern student is still evolving along with the modern teacher. A few weeks ago we read how in the beginning of our educational system in the US only the brightest young boys were allowed to move onto higher education because the other students did not need more education or that the knowledge would be too difficult for them. PLC is developingnew strategies and mind sets for teachers in the twenty first century. Students are self taught through many other avenues than the four walls of a classroom. Teacher in the 21st century need to be able to tap into all of the available resources and help students to learn data or look for information that is available and then apply it to circumstances for meshing it all together. Not only do the students need to learn at higher levels, but the teachers need the educational community to teach...Teachers are not islands unto themselves anymore just as the students are not only learning with one style in one place from one teacher. All students and all teachers are in the educational process together for the good of all.
ReplyDeleteThe goal of setting high expectations is to develop our students and ourselves into the best that we can be. While it is a challenge for teachers to set high expectations for a class containing various ability levels, students usually rise to the challenge.
ReplyDelete"high Expectations" are not just expecting more of the students, or expecting them to "rise" to the occasion, but instead believing that they will learn and believing that we can help them learn. It isn't about cheering them on, but providing them everything they need to succeed. When students are successful, no matter how small, they believe that they can continue to be successful. once the failure begins, they begin to lose hope, and that is when high expectations are lost. The student has lost the high expectation for him/herself.
ReplyDeleteI like what Marlene said. "Teachers in the 21st century need to be able to tap into all of the available resources and help students to learn data or look for information that is available and then apply it to circumstances for meshing it all together." I could not have said it better myself.
ReplyDeleteHigh expectations have to do with students’ learning. Teacher’s role is to help students understand that their options tomorrow would be determined by what they achieve at school today. High expectations are based on teacher’s belief that all students can learn, communication of this believe to students and providing support to reach their fullest potential.
ReplyDeleteHigh expectations must incorporate the belief that the teacher’s personal ability and efforts impact students’ performance. We as teachers cannot simply tell our students what is expected of them and then think that they will achieve these goals on their own. Teachers must work along side students and provide them with everything they need to succeed. Teachers must also work together to identify effective ways of learning for each of their students. This collaboration will ensure effective instructional and assessment strategies.
ReplyDeleteHigh Expectations include skills that the work force will be expected to posess after school. The Midlands Education and Business Alliance MEBA has been instrumental in tying high workforce expectations to high expectations in participating schools. The Business and Educational Summit this summer is also an forum for educators and businesses to align themselves with high expectations.
ReplyDeleteCommon assessments and course outlines should show the same level of high expectations regardless of who is teaching the subject. The student is the one who benefits from teachers working together to maintain the high level of expectations in a PLC. They need to stem from discipline, dress code, athletics, academics, and every aspect of a student's life. If these expectations are not met by everyone in the school a PLC will not work.
ReplyDeleteOn page 180, it is defined as “the positive inferences teachers make about the future academic achievement of their students.” We have to be more than temporary cheerleaders for our students and encourage them to embrace a lifetime of learning. All the teachers at GHS already set high standards and continually raise the bar to challenge our students on a daily basis. High expectations must not only be set for students but for us as professional learners. As educators, we also see the need for continuing education and are involved in many staff developments and implement new things daily to help our students learn. Like health care, education will constantly evolve and teachers must keep up-to-date on all the new things that can help our students learn at high levels…thus becoming a PLC and setting/maintaining those high expectations will be a process
ReplyDeleteHigh expectations are more than just being a cheerleader for students. Teachers need to make positive inferences about their students. If we believe students can achieve they will. Students will meet the expectations of teachers they respect. We need to provide the support that students need so they can acheive at higher levels. The staff members must also have a perception of their own personal and collective abilities. We need to have the attitude of the Little Engine That Could. I think I can will take us to higher levels as teachers and students. We can not wait for direction from "above." As teachers we need to establish our own drive and move our students forward. This will not happen instantly but is a process we need to continually work toward. If the expectations are shared with students they will work toward higher levels of expectations.
ReplyDeleteAccording to the authors, high expectations for students are often associated with starting new programs, adding new policies or new procedures. The true PLC promotes high expectations through changing the culture of the school. The school must center its focus on student learning rather than the number and types of activities it promotes. For a school to have high expectations every student is expected to be successful and poor performance is never accepted.
ReplyDeleteWe all begin with high expectations of our students here at GHS. Our Physical Science Standards are clearly stated and each student is provided a copy of these standards so they understand what is expected of them during the year. We do at times have to alter our rate of learning due to the ability and motivation level of students. After each district level test in Physical Science, our science department does an item analysis of each question to evaluate which areas we need to focus more attention on and then we re-teach those areas where the students struggle. As a science department we would like for all of our students to be proficient in the standards of physical science. The toughest “lesson” for these ninth graders is accomplish is to catch on to the pace in which we have to cover the material. It requires hard work on their part as they have to study (not homework) every night. As a teacher, I am constantly re-adjusting our lessons to accommodate their level of proficiency.
ReplyDeleteHigh expectations will be different for each student. When I have high expectations, I am expecting that student to learn, to stretch themselves. This HAS to be personalized. What is challenging for one student will not be challenging for the next.
ReplyDeleteTo have high expectations for myself and my school means that I won't just stop when things get a little tough. When a low level child fails to come in for extra help, I need to go the next step and make parent contact. When that doesn't work, I need to find the next thing that will. I will need to get rid of the "oh I tried" mentality when I know deep down that I didn't try everything.
Setting high expectations for our students is vital. These expectations have to be communicated clearly to the students and then there needs to be accountablity. Accountability not only on the part of the teacher, but the student as well.
ReplyDeleteI also think setting high expectations for student character and behavior is helpful in reaching higher academic standards.
High expectations in a PLC should be clear to all faculty and students. I agree with Stiggins that just rasing the bar for students can sometimes make them 'give up in hopelessness' if they aren't given support to reach those higher standards. PLC's should expect the most of thier students, but should not placate them so that it appears that those standards have been met. Rather, PLC's must not be afraid of failure and see it as an opportunity to provide more support and more scaffolding for students when they don't achieve what is expected of them.
ReplyDeleteI also like what Collins' has to say about making small steps toward 'great transformations.' Everyone knows that 'no grand program' can change the culture of a school. The culture of a school can only change when individuals change their thinking about schooling and learning.
For my area, teaching students to become thinkers and performers. As Bloom's Taxonomy states; Create, Analyze, Interpret.
ReplyDeleteSo... "high expectations" really translates to our school team having confidence that we can get the job done. Kids can learn (that is, LEARN, which doesn't necessarily mean PASS, ahh, but I digress) both with and in spite of all the paperwork, technology, standards, district and state tests, etc. that we have to juggle as long as we maintain the focus that we can do it. It kind of makes sense, although I'm still not feeling enough about the personal responsibility of the student...
ReplyDeleteHigh expectations is important to have for not only for the students but for all faculty. It makes us work harder to make sure all students are working to achieve not only the average but pushing them to be as successful as they can be. We as educators need to impact the students learning through high expectations.
ReplyDeleteThe term "high expectations" makes me think of the Browning (I hope it is, or I'll embarrass myself) poem that says: "A man's reach should exceed his grasp, or what's a heaven for?" We don't stop when we get what we decide we NEED. We push further, to be (as the Army says) all that we CAN be.
ReplyDeleteI am excited to be moving to middle school--this seems off topic, but bear with me--where it has been the culture for years to teach in teams. Teachers in teams have so much of an advantage on making material relevant to kids. ("Why do I need to know this?" Well, it's related to everything else you have to know and do to be a thinking, productive member of society.) It's difficult to teach kids to THINK--and so much easier to get them to learn discrete facts. But we don't teach in isolation from the world, or from one another. Collaboration is key--on every level.
"High expectations" also come with the realization that not all kids are alike, and not all kids learn the same way. We all must learn to adapt lessons and techniques to the kids we work with, and to praise them when they approach what they're being taught in THEIR OWN WAY ... and then master it in ways peculiar to them. Makes it hard to "teach," but it also makes it worth more.
In my idea of what a PLC should be, High expectations would not be able to be evaluated with standardized test or any numerical data. I beleive having high expectations for students when applying what they have learned in real-world situations is a much better method. i.e. how they perform at a job etc.
ReplyDeleteHigh expectations begin with each of us-the faculty and staff of GHS. We have to act as if we believe we can do this, not just our students. There will always be distractions, and there have been some big ones this year, less $$$, more requirements, preparing for a technology jump, but it comes down to what we think we can do. I think of Ms. Phyllis and Ms. Lynn on the 400 hall. They come in here every day knowing that in spite of everything they do to make this place shine some of the students will not care. They will have to re-clean the same messes day after day. Some of the things they take on are unspeakable. Yet they don’t give up. Why? --Because, they have high expectations for this school and for themselves. They, like us, want this place to be a great school for the majority of people that work and learn here.
ReplyDeletehigh expectations are not the same for all teachers, students, and parents. we as teachers must indentify the weaknessess of each student...sometimes we take for granted what kids know and do not know. not every student is on the same page...some aren't even in the same book. we must recognize and challenge all who WANT to learn. everyones "high expectations" differ by teachers, classes, and knowledge! working with such a wide range and diversified population is challenging for all. we will figure it out one day!
ReplyDeleteI think next year will be a year of growth for both students and teachers. With the implementation of computers it will raise the expectations for teachers as well as students. Because students will demand more from us we will have to rely on each other more to help raise the bar for ours students. This is why PLC and high expectations are so important within a school
ReplyDeleteHigh expectations of students are essential components in fostering their achievement levels. Our goals will be a work in progress
ReplyDeleteas we work together as a team with our students.
I think in many cases, students will work to the expectations given them. They will always remember the teacher that got them to do things and learn things that they thought were not possible for them. Having high expectations creates the feeling in people that they can go beyond their potential. As the book says, it helps you focus on how good you CAN be.
ReplyDeleteHigh expectations for students require them to produce products that reflect their true understanding and ability to apply the stnadards that they have been taught. Their ability to reproduce those results in a variety of situations exemplifies their mastery of content and skills.
ReplyDeleteHigh expectations for students also includes standards of behavior, responsibility, and civility. Students must not only have the academic skills to succeed in this world, they must also have the social skills that will give them access to a successful life.
High Expectations in a PLC use qualified, motivated teachers to help students maximize learning. Student are expected to perform at a certain leval, and the teachers push them to reach that level. The teacher help the students maximize achivement by finding new ways to present the material other than just lecture.
ReplyDeleteHigh expectation is just believing that we have to "work" daily at being competitive. GHS strives in every aspect to be competitive. The idea is originated from Administration. We enter the doors knowing that we were hired to take a group of students and "work" them via, teaching, encouraging, modeling etc. to reach the goal. Now, each student has a top level and we need to push each student to reach their individual top level. It is also observed and believed the more competitive environment people are in the more competitive they become. Our high expectation goal in the academic realm involves lots of extra time working with students but we all achieve when they achieve. High expectations in our extra curriculum programs involve lots of extra time but again, when the chorus, band, drama, student counil, Beta clubs, FBLA, FFA, FCA, Environmental clubs, poetry clubs, reading clubs, Math clubs, and athletic teams get recognized for success, we all succeed. Pride is very important to continue with high standards and we have to go all the way in pushing the students to achieve b/c when they leave us, No doubt , they want to have some bragging rights about their alma mater.
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