Abstract:
Having expectations tends to be a fundamental part of human nature. This particular phenomenon has been seen to have a crucial role in education. There has been strong evidence to suggest that teacher expectations influence student learning in a variety of ways. This thesis is based on the influences and understandings of teacher expectations that may be evident in multi-ethnic classrooms in Aotearoa New Zealand. The thesis comprises three studies. Study 1 examined whether ethnicity played a role in teachers’ expectations. The participants were 57 primary school teachers who completed a teacher expectation survey. The findings showed that the higher teachers’ expectations were for students, the more progress they made. However, when achievement was not taken into account, expectations for Maori and Pasifika students were lower than for the other groups. This may mean that Maori and Pasifika are engaged in the low level activities often assigned to those performing at low levels. Study 2 explored whether and how students knew their teachers had high or low expectations of them. The participants were 1,187 students aged between 8–12 years. The findings showed that students were astute at knowing which teacher behaviours portrayed alternatively high or low expectations. Understandings that teacher expectations are low for some students may lead to student self-belief and motivation declining over time. Study 3 examined what teachers understood about teacher expectations with a particular focus on Māori and Pasifika students. Through interviews with 10 teachers, Study 3 explored teacher perceptions of how teacher expectations are shaped, whether teacher expectations influenced teacher practice and student outcomes. Study 3 indicated that teachers recognised that some teachers had lower expectations for Maori and Pasifika students. Overall, teachers had a fairly superficial understanding of the expectation phenomenon. It is recommended that teachers develop a deeper conceptual understanding of teacher expectations and the implications teacher expectation has on student learning. The thesis makes a contribution to both theoretical and educational understandings of the phenomenon of teacher expectations. Directions for future research are outlined.