The shift to distance learning spotlighted many existing inequities within education, bringing to the forefront subtle yet powerful dynamics like implicit bias and teacher expectations. Even before the pandemic, students were vocal about educational disparities. Earlier in the year, students in a Revisiting Ethnicity and Culture in U.S. History course brought powerful testimony to the Minnesota House of Representatives Education Finance committee, addressing racially disproportionate suspension rates. This student-led activism, stemming from their publication “The New Abolitionist,” was unfortunately overshadowed by the urgent transition to distance learning. While the format of learning changed, the underlying issue of inequitable outcomes, often fueled by implicit expectations, remained and perhaps even amplified.
Heading into the future of education, which will likely incorporate blended or distance learning models, understanding How Do We Learn Implicit Expectations becomes paramount. These unspoken beliefs educators hold can significantly shape student experiences and outcomes, especially for historically underserved populations. It’s crucial to examine how these biases manifest in digital learning environments and what educators can do to foster more equitable and supportive learning spaces.
The Undeniable Influence of Teacher Expectations
Decades of research underscore the profound impact of teacher expectations on student achievement. Teachers’ beliefs about student potential, often communicated subtly through cues and actions, can become self-fulfilling prophecies. These expectations, sometimes rooted in implicit biases, influence how educators interact with students, the opportunities they provide, and ultimately, student success. As the learning environment shifted from physical classrooms to digital platforms, these dynamics didn’t disappear; they simply adapted and manifested in new ways.
Data emerging from distance learning initiatives across various districts reveals a concerning trend: students of color and Native American students were disproportionately underserved compared to their white peers. In one district’s analysis, these students were nearly four times more likely to fail classes during distance learning. This echoes pre-existing disparities in discipline rates, where subjective reasons for removal from class, like “defiance,” often reflect lowered expectations and an unwillingness to engage with students, particularly students from marginalized groups. In distance learning, this translates into different forms of disengagement and lack of support, perpetuating inequitable outcomes.
Decoding High Expectations: Student Perspectives
To gain deeper insights into how students perceive teacher expectations in distance learning, interviews were conducted with seven high school students, all identifying as Black, Indigenous, and/or students of color, who were successful in this new learning environment. Their experiences offer valuable lessons on what constitutes high and low expectations from a student’s perspective.
A recurring theme in their accounts of high expectations was consistent and proactive engagement from teachers. Students highlighted the importance of teachers who “frequently check-up on them academically and mentally, remind them about missing work, and wouldn’t let them give up.” This proactive outreach signaled to students that teachers genuinely cared about their progress and believed in their ability to succeed.
“[They] reached out to me if my work wasn’t done and checked on my personal life … I knew that they wanted me to do well.”
This sentiment extended beyond academic reminders. Students appreciated teachers who acknowledged the challenges of distance learning and offered support for their overall well-being.
…” [They] reached out [about] things like mental health [and] extending deadlines,” one senior said. “That may seem like that would be low expectations on students, but the teachers that gave more leniency for late work … they know that kids are just going through a hard time, and they really can do the best … in times like this.”
Clear communication and well-structured assignments also emerged as key indicators of high expectations. Students felt supported when teachers provided:
“Teachers who [had high expectations for students] explained their assignments well, had the steps for each assignment, clear and easy to understand. Also, they made it easy to contact them with any questions…”
This clarity removed ambiguity and ensured students felt equipped to tackle the work independently, a crucial element in distance learning. Furthermore, students valued teachers who:
“Teachers who had high expectations would make sure you understand the topic completely … and did not assume that [I was] ignoring the assignments when it took [me] awhile to get started.”
This highlights the importance of teachers being responsive and understanding of individual student needs and learning paces, rather than making assumptions based on potentially biased perceptions. Finally, some students noted that teachers demonstrating high expectations also adapted the curriculum to acknowledge and address the unprecedented circumstances students were facing:
“[One teacher] had us make our drawing/painting for art class about what COVID means to us or how it affected us in that time period. [Another teacher] would often have little check-ins that we would fill out with how we are doing mental-health-wise with everything going on. And [another] sent out a very good email after the death of George Floyd and things like that make me respect teachers a lot more and makes me more engaged.”
These examples underscore that high expectations are not solely about academic rigor but also about creating a supportive and understanding learning environment that acknowledges students’ holistic needs and lived experiences.
Unveiling Low Expectations: Student Experiences
In stark contrast, students described experiences where they perceived low expectations from teachers. A primary indicator was a lack of engagement and responsiveness. Students felt disregarded when teachers:
“[My teacher] wouldn’t reach out to me. If I reached out, it would take a few days to get a response; [whereas] with other teachers, it took a few hours or minutes. This teacher was short with me when they did reply.”
This lack of timely communication and personalized attention conveyed a sense of indifference, signaling to students that their learning was not a priority. Further exacerbating this feeling were experiences of feeling unseen and unheard in virtual learning spaces:
“You can see when the teacher is favoring some students by the way the teacher is checking up on a Zoom [meeting], and they don’t even bring up your name or talk to you … This happened to me a lot, and I would just leave the meeting.”
Such experiences of invisibility and lack of acknowledgment in virtual classrooms can be deeply demotivating, reinforcing feelings of low expectations and hindering engagement. Furthermore, students perceived low expectations when assignments were:
“I felt like my teachers didn’t think I was capable of more challenging work, because I was constantly getting ‘fill in the blank’ and ‘watch a movie’ type assignments. Even though I was at home, I still wanted to learn … I need to be ready for college.”
Overly simplistic or seemingly pointless assignments communicated a lack of faith in students’ abilities and a devaluation of their learning experience. This was further emphasized in the experience of a student who was:
“dropped from his regular coursework and assigned to a credit recovery program during distance learning.”
This drastic measure, without adequate support or communication, sent a powerful message of low expectations and undermined the student’s sense of academic capability. These student testimonies powerfully illustrate how do we learn implicit expectations: through the actions and inactions of educators, the nature of assignments, and the overall learning environment.
Distance Learning: A Mirror Reflecting Implicit Expectations
Distance learning served as a unique lens through which to examine how implicit expectations manifest in educational settings. The student voices highlighted above reveal that we learn implicit expectations through observable teacher behaviors and pedagogical choices. High expectations are communicated through proactive support, clear communication, relevant and engaging assignments, and a holistic understanding of students’ needs. Conversely, low expectations are conveyed through lack of engagement, disregard for student input, simplistic tasks, and assumptions about student potential.
These findings underscore the critical need for educators to become more aware of their own implicit biases and how these biases might influence their expectations of students, particularly in online learning environments. It is essential to recognize that seemingly trivial actions or omissions can carry significant weight and communicate powerful messages to students about their capabilities and worth.
Cultivating Equitable Expectations: A Path Forward
Moving forward, as educators navigate the evolving landscape of education, prioritizing equitable expectations is paramount. This requires a multi-faceted approach:
- Dedicated Planning and Collaboration Time: Creating high-quality, differentiated, and relevant distance learning experiences demands significant teacher planning and collaboration time. Advocacy for ample time for these activities is crucial to ensure educators are adequately equipped to meet diverse student needs.
- Professional Development on Implicit Bias: Providing educators with professional development focused on understanding and mitigating implicit bias is essential. This training should encourage self-reflection and equip teachers with strategies to create more equitable and inclusive learning environments.
- Student Voice and Feedback: Actively soliciting and incorporating student feedback is vital. Students are keen observers of classroom dynamics and can provide invaluable insights into how expectations are being communicated and experienced.
- Focus on Rigor and Relevance: Curriculum and assignments should be both rigorous and relevant to students’ lives and future aspirations. Challenging tasks, coupled with appropriate support, communicate high expectations and foster student growth.
- Proactive Engagement and Support: Educators should proactively reach out to students, particularly those who may be struggling, offering academic and social-emotional support. Consistent check-ins and personalized communication demonstrate care and investment in student success.
The powerful testimony of students offers a crucial reminder that every interaction, every assignment, and every communication carries the potential to shape student learning and self-perception. By consciously working to cultivate equitable expectations, educators can create learning environments where all students feel valued, supported, and empowered to reach their full potential, regardless of the learning environment. Understanding how do we learn implicit expectations is the first step towards dismantling biased systems and building truly equitable educational experiences for all learners.
