Can Labeling Kids Make Teachers Teach Differently? Maybe. Read This! School/Education Teens Parenting

Teachers know the power of the Pygmalion Effect and its ugly cousin, the Golem Effect, the blessing/curse of self-fulfilling prophecy in the classroom. Research shows teachers perform differently with students for whom they have high expectations. They are better teachers – and the classroom climate is more productive – than when they have low expectations.

Before we label kids “shy” or “difficult” or “test-phobic,” let us honor our kids enough to let them make their own first impressions. Sometimes, our good intentions set the bar too low.

What do you think?