Mention “pygmalion effect” to your child’s school principal or teacher and you’ll get a nod of recognition, and a smile. It is well known in psychological/educational research and has become a buzzword in business/management as “galatea effect”. But let’s not get lost in semantic quagmire. 

     The Webster’s Dictionary defines ‘expect’ as a verb from Latin “expectare”: ex-“out” and spectare-“to look”; to believe that something will occur.  Expectation: a looking forward or waiting for something.

     Limited expectations bring limited results; conversely, high expectations bring exceptional results. Though this seems to be common sense, this concept is so intriguing in academia that it has become a popular topic of research.

      One particular study comes to mind.  At the beginning of the school year, the principal told a teacher that there would be two “gifted” classes and that she would be assigned to one of them. At the end of the school year, performance tests showed that her class did extremely well; in fact, about the same as the other gifted class.  What’s amazing is that the students were actually average in ability. The study concluded that if the teacher thought of her students as highly capable, she will indeed end up with superior performers.

     What do you think happened? Perhaps, the teacher expected her students to behave just like the gifted students: to always pay attention, ask questions, complete and submit assignments on time, study hard for the quizzes and tests.  She reminded them to sit up straight and not slouch in their seats, and bring their supplies.  She notified the parents of her high expectations and updated them on the class progress.  She even sent them e-mails to celebrate the children’s achievements.

      The teacher treated each student with great respect.  She found ways to praise instead of reprimand. When a child did not understand something, she took time to guide him.  She inquired about the child’s learning style from previous teachers and made observations of her own.  When a student asked a question coyly, she reminded the class that there were no silly questions. If a question seemed out of place, she praised the student for her curiosity and suggested that it would be a great topic for a future project. In effect, she was instilling good habits of mind.

     What really happened is that, once she thought she had an excellent class, she started behaving like an excellent teacher.  This is the essence of a self-fulfilling prophecy.

     So, why not draw greatness from your child by behaving like an excellent parent?

      How can you achieve this? Think of your child as having unlimited potential, for that is true.  Don’t think of him or her as having low ambition or little reasoning ability because she did not inherit a math gene.

     Here are a few easy basics: Make it a routine for your child to go to bed at 8:00 p.m. with backpack and clothes already lined up for the morning.  Wake him up at the same time each day and early enough for an unhurried breakfast.  Be sure to send him off to school with an “I love you” or a hug (even if he is a middle or high schooler feigning disgust).

        Enforce a study time.  If your child says he doesn’t have homework, have him sit and study anyway: read a library book quietly for 15 minutes, write a story or copy meticulously from the textbook a word problem and its solution.  

     Moreover, initiate communication with your child’s teacher.  If you have any bit of uncertainty about your child’s progress, send a quick e-mail.  Don’t delay this, assuming that the teacher has no time. On the contrary, she will appreciate it. Do your best to show up for those quarterly conferences. You are showing your child your keen interest in her future success.

     The above are just some suggestions; you may have a style of your own.  What is important is your determination to behave like an excellent parent and do it with consistency. Have high expectations. Just remember what research has shown and what common sense says: what you expect will come true!

Nelly Ramos Rana taught Earth Science in middle school and Math and Physics in high school.  Your responses are welcome. You may e-mail her at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it