A new study finds that American teachers may not be setting expectations high enough for their students. This research from the MetLife Survey of the American Teacher series, reported two conclusions.

• First, there was a gap between educators’ expressed level of expectation and the application of those expectations in practice.
   
• Second, there is a gap between teacher and student perceptions about academic success, especially in schools serving high proportions of low-income students, in secondary schools, and between girls and boys.

Talk Is Cheap

The report, Part 2: Student Achievement, second in a series from the new MetLife Survey of the American Teacher: Collaborating for Student Success, presents views collected from teachers, principals, and students. Some of the results reported:

• Most teachers (86%) believe high expectations for all students would have a major impact on achievement.
   
• Most educators (64% of teachers; 69% of principals) strongly agree that all students need education beyond high school to be prepared for work or a career.
   
• Most teachers (84%) believe they can enable all of their students to succeed academically, but only 36% of teachers say that all of their students have the ability to succeed.
   
• Half of teachers (51%), including most secondary teachers (71%), say students in their school only do enough work to get by.
   
• Over one-third of students (36%), including more boys (41%) than girls (31%), say they only do enough work to get by in school.
   
• Almost half (45%) of students say students in their school are promoted to the next grade level without being ready.
   
• Most students (79%) plan to attend college, but only half of students (55%) feel very confident they will achieve their goals for the future.
   
• More girls than boys have aspirations to attend college (85% vs. 73%) and believe they will achieve their goals (59% vs. 50%).

When I think back on the teachers that made an impression on the person I am today, they were those who either expressed an unfounded confidence in my abilities, or who pushed me so far beyond my own expectations that the result surprised both of us.

Those kinds of teachers are the gold of the education system.

Supporting the Teaching Profession

The third and final report, Part 3: Teaching as a Career, is scheduled for release March 24, 2010. It is focused on the concept of collaboration in the context of professional growth and career path. Part 1: Effective Teaching and Leadership looks at if, how, and to what extent collaboration is currently practiced in schools to improve student achievement. According to a MetLife press release:

"The annual MetLife Survey of the American Teacher is not just about asking, but also about listening," said Dennis White, president and CEO of MetLife Foundation. "In this survey, 69% of teachers do not believe their voices are being adequately heard in the current debate on education. We can learn much from those closest to the classroom about working together to increase student success."

The reports for the entire series are now available online at www.metlife.com/teachersurvey with links to the ERIC (Education Resources Information Center) website: http://eric.ed.gov.