Expectations…it is a word used frequently in education. We are to have high expectations of our students…people have high expectations of teachers. But what are those expectations really?

I attend meetings frequently where the expectations are explained in terms of achievement. Achievement defined by test scores. And I must admit it is easy to fall into that definition of expectations.

But sometimes something will come along..something that causes you to increase the expectations you have for yourself and for your students. The staff development we have experienced as Kenan Fellows does just that. Creativity, exploration, student centered instruction…these are the areas we should hold to high expectations. When we talk achievement we have to look at data from all areas. Instruction needs to be engaging on a whole new level for today’s students.

So in short the staff development has led me to increase my expectations of myself and look at how we define high expectations. Whether delivering staff development or teaching in front of a classroom what we used to hold as the epitome of high expectation just isn’t enough today.