Establishing High Expectations for All Students

How do we create and communicate high expectations for all our students as educators?  We routinely say we have high expectations for all our students. Each individual state has established standards that specify what we expect all our children to know and be able to do.  Over the years these standards have been revised to be more rigorous requiring critical thinking. However, despite state laws and regulations that stipulate that these standards are for all our students, our actions often communicate a different message. Many of our students and their families would say that we have lesser expectations for them than we do for other students. 

The traditional systems in most of our schools reinforce this perception as some students are placed in below level reading groups and spend their entire elementary school career being instructed at and working below grade level. Our systems continue to marginalize these students as they are then placed in remedial classes, most often for reading and mathematics and slide through their middle grade years. In high school they are once again placed in remedial classes and/or basic English and math classes while their colleagues are learning advanced algebra and geometry and enrolled in honors English. Their peers are taking advanced course work in a multitude of disciplines earning college credits while in high school. Marginalized students are often granted a high school diploma, but do not have the skills needed for college or technical coursework. They have not been educated to a high level.

However, I would argue that even more egregiously, we communicate our lesser expectations for some students from the moment they walk in the door; before they are even tracked into our systems. We communicate our expectations for our students by how we see them and know them.  Our children are keen observers and they know immediately if we truly see them, desire to know them as the wonderful individual they are, and believe them to be worthy scholars.

I write in my book, Equity in Our Schools: Ensuring Marginalized Students Achieve at a High Level, that our success with our students, our ability to teach them to high levels begins with our relationship with our students. Are we at the door of the schoolhouse or the classroom warmly welcoming them? Do we know them by name (and we pronounce it correctly)? Do our faces light up when we see them approaching the classroom? Do we recognize their strengths and let them know the strengths we see in them? Do we believe them to be worthy scholars so we refuse to except less from them and provide whatever it takes to ensure they achieve at a high level?  Do we know their fears and deeply listen to what they have to say? When we talk about our students with our fellow educators is it done in a positive manner or does deficit thinking creep in and negative talk result? (She never does her homework, so of course she is behind.)

I am a mother and a grandmother.  My measure of what is a good education has always been is it good enough for my own children or grandchildren. The standard applies to our relationships with students as well. My grandson knows that I think he is the smartest little boy ever. He sees my face light up when I greet him. He knows I will listen intently to his endless chatter. He also knows, when he struggles with something, I still believe he can do it and will do whatever it takes to ensure he masters it.  I constantly work to make my relationship with my grandson nurturing. I strive to support him achieving to the highest levels and contributing to make our world a better place. That is the only type of learning environment that is good enough for my own children and grandchildren. This same type of nurturing environment is also the only kind that is good enough for each child that is in our schoolhouses and classrooms. Providing whatever it takes to nurture each child to the highest level in our schoolhouses and classrooms is equity.

Another way to illustrate the relationship we need with our children, our students, is shared by Michelle Obama in her book The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times.  She talks about creating spaces “where gladness lives …. most especially for our children.” (p. 213) She further states that her mother “lit up for us every day so that we could in turn light up for others.” Are we lighting up for our children every day so that they can light up for our world? What a wonderful world it will be when all of our children are lighting it up.

References:

Obama, M. (2022). The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times.  Crown Publishing.

This blog is written by Dr. GwenCarol Holmes, a long-time educator and passionate advocate for all students mastering rigorous standards.