Research Paper On Expectations And Education

Expectations and Education

One of the most sought-after goals in the world of marketing is a high degree of consumer satisfaction. But in the world of education, satisfaction by itself should not be the criterion for success. If both satisfaction and performance are high, we have cause for celebration. If satisfaction is high and performance is low, as is currently the case in the United States, we have cause for serious alarm. According to Stevenson and Stigler in "The Learning Gap", American parents whose children generally score below Asian children on tests of academic achievement, gave the most positive evaluations when asked about their children's schools and how their children were performing. If the children are doing well, such

Because of the belief that not every child is capable of mastering the academic curriculum, and because of a commitment to provide schooling for all children. The pervasive emphasis on innate ability lowers expectations about what can be accomplished through hard work. Whether children are considered to be bright or dull, the belief that ability is largely fixed leads parents and teachers to be reluctant to demand higher levels of performance from their children, and leads to a satisfaction with the status quo. For the Asian cultures, high average levels of achievement can be attained without the psychological and monetary costs of creating an educational system stratified on the basis of presumed ability. Behind the "miracle" of Asian economic and children's academic achievement is the conviction that accomplishment depend on dedication and hard work. In my own personal experience, my parents had high expectation of me. Showing my report cards to them was one of the most stressful times in my childhood. If I got anything that is less than 100, they commented "If you had studied harder you would have been able to get a higher score." Next time when I came back with an higher score, they would comment "Just try a little harder you would do even better." Finally, after sacrificing my played time and many sleepless nights, I proudly reported

The question we must raise is how can we change our educational goals, practices, and expectations given the nature of American society. Americans are satisfied with their children's education partly because they have lacked a meaningful gauge by which to evaluate how well their children are doing. Because most children pass from one grade to the next, and parents see smiley faces rather than grades on many of their children's assignments, they assume that their children are doing a good job. This clearly is not true. Another American characteristic that has led to high satisfaction with education is a tendency to underestimate what children are capable of accomplishing in school. Convincing parents that they can expect more of their children is difficult, however, for it quickly becomes confused with pushing children too early and too fast. Lessons do not need to be repeated year after year if they are properly taught in the first place: children can master school routines if someone takes the time to show them how; children can comprehend far more complicated material than they learn now if it commands their interest and is explained clearly; and children are capable, given the proper instruction, of mastering the academic curriculum. Parents' reluctance to raise their expectations may be based on a fear that higher