Creating Cultures of Thinking: The 8 Forces We Must Master to Truly Transform Our Schools

Abstract

ex • pec • ta • tions |ˌekspekˈtā SHəns| noun: A set of strong beliefs surrounding future outcomes and anticipated results. • A demand we place on others. • What we regard as likely to happen given certain actions. As a culture shaper, expectations operate as "belief sets" or "action theories" that influence our own efforts in relation to the achievement of desired goals and outcomes. In this way, expectations not only set our course but also act as an internal compass that keeps us moving toward our goal. It is important to note that this departs from the way teachers more typically think of "expectations"-that is, as explicit expressions of standards used to direct and inform the behavior of others. It is our expectations for students, ourselves, and the learning process itself that form the foundation for the culture of the group.