The Excellent Teacher Trait of High Expectations: Tips for Baby Boomers and Seniors

Some of the best teachers and the ones who their students will remember the longest, are those who have had the highest expectations. Why are high expectations an excellent teacher trait?   

“High achievement always takes place in the framework of high expectation.” Charles F. Kettering (1876-1958)

Students of all ages may seek high levels of achievement to please their teachers. Teachers with high expectations of their students may appear to be difficult to please at first, but the effort to please them is worthwhile. Teachers with high expectations reap excellent, academic achievement results from their students.

In an era, where there are hundreds of baby boomers and seniors taking college courses, with expectations of being able to return to work in another capacity, or merely obtain upgrading in order to retain their current employment, studying under a teacher with high expectations may appear to be hard on them. Be aware that many older students are already high achievers, who welcome the challenge and thrive under a teacher who has high expectations of them, academically.

Another difficulty encountered by baby boomers and senior students is that of a transition in teaching-learning methodology. Times change, as do teaching-learning methods. Depending upon one’s original experience in school, high school or university, the demands of a teacher with high expectations of students may appear to be overwhelming, at first. For example, a student may feel bombarded with excessive content in a course.

A teacher with high expectations of his or her students may teach as much course material as possible, as quickly as possible, because current, teaching methods suggest this is the most effective, information retention methodology of teaching. This may seem difficult to baby boomers and seniors who previously had teachers who used different teaching-learning methods. Regardless of age or background, anyone can adapt to the high expectations of teachers.

Teachers who have high expectations of children of all ages from kindergarten onward, lead them to expect to have to meet high expectations from their teachers. This is a good thing, unless a student is unable to meet high levels of expectations from them. Individual learning curves vary considerably. Many parents have high expectations of themselves and their children, too. They may welcome the challenge for their children.

Parents need to be aware of the high expectations of their children’s teachers, realizing that these teachers have high expectations of themselves in terms of student progress and achievement. They too have a level of accountability. Communication between them is important in terms of understanding their expectations.

Students often communicate the required high levels of academic achievement among one another. While it is frustrating for some students, they help each other. Over time, high achievers tend to become teachers with high expectations of their own students.