Teacher Expectations in High and Low Decile Schools

Abstract

Expectations shape and guide the way a teacher thinks and acts in the classroom. This can affect learning opportunities that are given to students, which can eventually impact their academic performance. Whereas high expectations have been shown to have positive impacts on student achievement, low expectations can be detrimental to student learning. Multiple student factors can impact on teachers’ expectations, but one of particular interest in the current study is students’ socioeconomic status. Past research has shown that teachers in high socioeconomic schools have higher expectations than teachers in low socioeconomic schools. This mixed-methods study investigated whether teacher expectations in mathematics differed at contrasting decile primary schools. Eight teachers, four from high and four from low decile schools, completed a questionnaire on students’ mathematics achievement and also provided students’ e-asTTle mathematics data. Four of the eight teachers also participated in semi-structured interviews to explore differences in teachers’ expectations. Findings revealed that teacher expectations did differ depending on school decile with high decile teachers having higher expectations for their students in mathematics than low decile teachers, even accounting for achievement. In high decile schools, teachers appeared to be more positive about students’ abilities due to students’ affluent and supportive home backgrounds. In low decile schools, teachers had lower expectations due to deficit theorising such as attributing blame to students’ families, a perceived lack of role models in the community, and students’ behavioural problems. The current study showed that teacher expectations could be a factor in the widening of the achievement gap between students in low and high decile schools. Implications for teachers, especially in terms of teaching students in low decile schools, are provided, and directions for future research are identified.