more caught than taught…

in order the build confidence in others, expect the best.

1 corinthians 13.7 (lb), if you love someone you will always believe in him, and always expect the best of him.

 

notice the phrase, “expect the best”. 

in 1968, a harvard psychologist, robert rosenthal, published a study that's now very famous called pygmalion in the classroom. it studied the impact of teachers’ expectations on students. they took a group of kindergartners through fifth grade and gave them an achievement test.  after that they told all the new teachers the next year that five or six of the children were the high achievers based on the tests.  the test was rigged and they randomly selected the people. 

the amazing results, at the end of the year, the students whom the teachers thought had more potential had actually scored far ahead and gained as many as 15‑ 27 iq points in one year.  teachers described these children as happier, more curious, more affectionate than average, having a better chance of succeeding later in life.  but the only change for the year had been in the attitude of the teachers.  because they had been led to expect more of certain students, those children came to expect more of themselves.  the teachers communicated this through tone of voice, facial expressions, touch and posture. 

dr. karl menninger said attitudes are more important than facts. and that’s true.  your attitude toward people can make them or break them, bless them or curse them.  expect the best. 

if you love someone you always expect the best.  confidence is more caught than taught.

just a thought from the front porch..