Race and Ethnicity in the Study of Motivation in Education

Abstract

Teacher expectancy research has added to our understanding about the ways teachers communicate their expectations to students (see Brophy & Good, 1970) as well as how students perceive differential teacher behavior (e.g., Weinstein, Marshall, Sharp, & Botkin, 1987) and its effect on students’ own perceptions of ability (e.g., Harris, Rosenthal, & Snodgrass, 1986). Indeed, the established presence of research on teacher expectations in teacher preparation programs (e.g., Barnes, 1987) and licensure standards (e.g., Council of Chief State School Officers, 2011) is a testament to its influence. Despite the marked presence of teacher expectancy in teacher training, however, traditionally marginalized students-students who face particularly onerous obstacles associated with poverty and prejudicecontinue to be underrepresented in a vast array of achievement outcomes (e.g., achievement test scores, high school completion, college matriculation). Scholars have argued that disparities will persist if we do not attend to the reasons teachers’ expectations are often confounded with students’ cultural background (LadsonBillings, 1999; Villegas & Lucas, 2002).