Within the realm of education, many issues go unnoticed regarding the relationship between school personnel and students. Many of these issues such as misrepresentation of culture, false teaching of history, disparities in education, and biases have been revealed throughout this course, Controversial Topics of Education. While many more issues besides the ones listed above exist and have been discussed amongst the class; I feel as if the most important topic by far is the effects implicit biases of a teacher or faculty member can have on a student’s success both in and outside of the classroom. Implicit biases are the common denominator of many issues students face, including underperformance in school, the lack of advanced education opportunities, and often low self-esteem. 

Researchers have found that teachers’ biases impact their behavior toward certain students, often causing them to have a lower-quality education. These behaviors are often a result of a teacher’s personal biases–whether conscious or not–regarding race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or even previous encounters with siblings of students (Moeny, 2014, 1). Regarding already marginalized students, discriminatory actions such as these could be detrimental to a student’s experience with learning. 

Specifically, it has been found that students who often can pick up on these biases, tend to fill this self-proclaimed prophecy the teacher has placed in their minds. An article written by James Rhem, Executive Editor of The National Teaching & Learning Forum discusses this issue, stating that when teachers place expectations of the performance of a student whether good or bad–the student often meets the level of performance expected of them (Rhem, 1999, 1). Rhem continues to explain this finding in context to a specific study done on elementary school students where it was found that students who were expected to meet higher standards experienced a higher level of intelligence growth than their peers whose teachers had lower expectations. The article discloses that “First graders in the control group showed a gain of twelve IQ points; students in the experimental group showed a gain of 27.4 IQ points.” These numbers show a significant difference in the two groups’ performance (Rhem, 1999, 2).

Additionally, it has been found that high school students also were subjected to discrimination within the walls of the classroom. For many schools, students are required to be on an advanced placement track from as young as middle school to be considered for advanced placement (AP) classes. On top of that, some schools require a personal recommendation from either a guidance counselor or teacher. Studies have found that students, specifically those that are Black or Latino could be at a disadvantage when competing with fellow students for a spot in the class. It has been found that oftentimes teachers won’t even consider a student for a course simply because of an assumption that a student’s appearance correlates to their performance and behavior in class (Moeny, 2014, #).

 A specific example of this involves Anthony, a high school student who experienced these biases firsthand. His teacher, Melissa Garcia, confesses her struggle with biases in an article for Education Week, “I only half-listened to his response as the other part of me was already making assumptions: He must be behind, he’ll never catch up, he’s probably a troublemaker” (Garcia, 2018). Garcia goes on to explain how she had already had the assumptions made when she first saw Anthony and was only proven wrong after he spoke up for himself and his talent. Furthermore, she emphasizes the importance the teacher plays in this role as oftentimes the student will not be as vocal as Anthony was. 

Situations such as this can result in a student’s discouragement or even hatred toward learning due to their bad experiences. As mentioned in an Education Week article regarding the topic, “teachers may fail to advise them of the value of such coursework, and such barriers as a sense of not belonging or lack of encouragement may affect their motivation to try” (Blad, 2020). Research has found that the impacts of this can influence major life choices, such as even considering applying to college. According to a study done by the National Center for Education, the Center for American Progress (CAP) it was concluded that a teacher’s expectations could severely influence whether a student decides to continue with higher learning after high school. The CAP states “that students whose high school teachers had high expectations of them graduated from college at three times the rate of those whose teachers had low expectations” (Moeny, 2014, 1). This finding highlights just how much a supportive teacher could impact a child’s life. Moreover, it is important to note how the effects of a teacher’s biases transcend further than the student’s. For instance, negative thoughts about school can influence younger siblings or even future generations. 

Overall, it is evident that a teacher’s or other faculty member’s behaviors can have a huge impact on a student’s success far past high school. These actions, often subconscious, are rooted in personal bias–and can be the determining factor of when a child has a positive experience regarding schooling. The topic of this issue is something that I found to be principal in our coursework throughout this semester due to the sheer amount that a teacher’s implicit biases could cause detrimental effects for generations. Throughout various research, case studies, and other forms of data it can be concluded that it is the teacher’s role to stop themselves from making decisions biasedly. Most importantly, they must take the time to learn and connect with their students on a deeper level than what meets the eye. 

References

Blad, E. (2020, March 3). The Simple Policy Change That’s Getting More Students of Color in Advanced Courses. Education Week. Retrieved November 28, 2023, from https://www.edweek.org/leadership/the-simple-policy-change-thats-getting-more-students-of-color-in-advanced-courses/2020/03

Garcia, M. (2018, July 25). Why Teachers Must Fight Their Own Implicit Biases. Education week. Retrieved November 28, 2023, from https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/opinion-why-teachers-must-fight-their-own-implicit-biases/2018/07?cmp=eml-enl-tu-news2&M=58559009&U=1215381

Moeny, J. (2014, October 8). Study: ‘Pygmalion Effect’ Links Teacher Expectations to Student Success. Education Week.

Patrick, K., Socol, A. R., & Morgan, I. (2020, January 9). Inequities in Advanced Coursework. The Education Trust. Retrieved November 28, 2023, from https://edtrust.org/resource/inequities-in-advanced-coursework/

Rhem, J. (1999). Pygmalion in The Classroom. The National Teaching & Learning Forum, 8(2).