Psychologist Robert Rosenthal (1973) reports about an experimentat the U.S. Air Force Academy Preparatory School. One hundredairmen were randomly assigned to five different math classes. Eachteacher was told that his or her students were placed in groupsbased on high or low ability when in reality the airmen wererandomly assigned to each group. The outcome showed that studentsin classes labeled “high-ability” improved much more in math scoresthan those labeled as “low-ability.” Remember, the groups wererandomly assigned and not based on high or low ability. Whathappened is that the teachers subtly communicated theirexpectations, and the students performed accordingly. What are someways that teachers communicate their expectations about the abilityof students to the class? Why is this study so important for allteachers? Students in kindergarten are placed into differentreading groups based on ability. Do these beginning students knowwho is in the “smart” group and who is in a lower reading group?How does this affect each student’s self-opinion? Could thisself-opinion affect the quality of work? If a student begins theeducation process as labeled in a group, do these labels lastthroughout elementary, middle, and highschool?Ă‚Â Ă‚Â Ă‚Â
