How We Talk to Mexican American Students Matters.

Blog Series Name: Deficit Thinking in Education.

The power of expectations. The way educators talk to their students shows their belief in them. Consider the two following phrases:

• That is okay. You tried.
• That is okay. Try again later.

How an educator phrases these statements is essential because it sets the tone for a student’s next course of action. The first statement implies that the student tried but would not achieve it. The second statement, however, encourages the student to try again at a later time. It makes the promise that the student can and will attain it. This is the power of expectations. Because now the student has the confidence to not give up on a difficult task. The educator has promised the student that they will attain it, even if not now.

The term high expectations is a phrase many educators today use. But what does it mean? Educators with high expectations enable their students to share ideas, empower them to make decisions, and set clear learning goals. They provide specific feedback that guides students toward successfully meeting their learning goals.

John Hattie’s research shows that educators’ expectations of their students are among the top factors in increasing student achievement. This is important research because it shows that what educators think about each one of their students matters. If they genuinely believe their students can do it, this belief will guide their words and actions.

Beliefs guide words and actions. When an educator tells a student that they can do it even if it is hard, it sets the tone for the student to keep trying. They might need varying supports, which the educator provides, and then they keep trying.

Another big word going around education right now is resiliency. This ties perfectly with high expectations because it means moving forward despite adversity. When students face high-level tasks, it can get frustrating for them. But learning is all about productive struggles. Being uncomfortable with challenging tasks is okay because it is how they will grow.

How educators talk to Mexican American students matters. Think of how powerful the following statements are. If all educators used this language with all of their students and guided them along their learning path, the educator would surely see an increase in student achievement.

• It is okay to do hard things.
• Take a break, and come back to it later.
• I know you can do it.
• I see how hard you are working on this.
• I am proud of the effort you put into it.

It is time for all students to hear that they can and will do it.

Part 4 of 7 of this blog series is coming next week: Understanding Cultural Values Among Mexican American Families.