Teachers’ expectations as a factor influencing African-American students’ academic achievement and classroom behavior

Teachers’ expectations for African-American students and the role of students’ race in teachers’ expectations is the focus of this report. Several studies have indicated that teacher expectations not only influence African-American students’ academic achievement, but also their classroom behavior. Studies have also suggested that low teacher expectations are a result of a combination of various factors such as teacherstudent race, low socioeconomic background and cultural differences. Low expectations based on incorrect information may lead to self-fulfilling prophecies. This report also sheds light on ways in which school counselors could contribute in changing and sustaining teacher expectations and promoting culture-relevant teaching strategies.