The Pygmalion Effect and the Power of Positive Expectations

It's a proven psychological fact: through something that has come to be known as "The Pygmalion Effect," people will perform according to the expectations others have for them. Limited expectations bring limited results, high expectations lead to exceptional results.  

In my opinion, we can teach our staff how to tap into the positive effects of the Pygmalion Effect with our students, improving outcomes and morale in the process. 


Teachers and Administrators will

• Understand how positive and negative expectations can create self-fulfilling prophecies.
• Develop the skills to positively influence students and coworkers.
• Raise the expectations they have for others.
• Believe more in their ability to positively influence and lead others.

• Never forecast failure in the classroom. If you know a test is particularly difficult, tell your students that the test is difficult but that you are sure that they will do well if they work hard to prepare.
• Do not participate in gripe sessions about students. Faculty members who gripe about students are establishing a culture of failure for their students, their department and their own teaching.
• Establish high expectations. Students achieve more when faculty have higher expectations. When you give students a difficult assignment, tell them, “I know you can do this.” If you genuinely believe that your students cannot perform the assignment, postpone the assignment and re-teach the material.