If nothing is expected of a man, he finds that expectation hard to contradict.

Frederick Douglas

The converse of what Frederick Douglas learned from his life experience has been tested and verified by educational researchers.

Research in Chicago schools looked at what happens when teachers expect more of students. In other words, if teachers expect much of students, are those expectations affirmed? The answer is "YES."

When students are expected — and supported — to do high quality work and to learn important content, that's exactly what they do.

For example, in regard to math achievement in 4th and 8th grades, the research found:

• In classrooms where more demanding high quality tasks were assigned, student work was of higher quality.
• There were larger learning gains for students in classrooms where instruction was characterized by intellectual depth.
• When students experienced instruction characterized by intellectual depth, focused around a standards-based curriculum, and taught through interactive pedagogy, they learned more.

All students, including students living in poverty and attending high poverty schools, benefit when they are assigned demanding work, given opportunities to construct knowledge, and expected to engage in disciplined inquiry around tasks with value beyond school (the definition of intellectual depth).

In our own schools we can see what happens when students have the opportunity to do more rigorous work. For example, at East High School this year, more students were expected to learn more rigorous mathematics in their third year of high school mathematics. Preliminary data seem to indicate that more students not only learned the more rigorous mathematics, but also they earned higher grades!

High expectations are, indeed, important. If we expect higher quality work and deeper thinking about important topics, and if we support students in their efforts to succeed, they will meet these high expectations.