Expect much

I am a firm believer in human endeavour and feel sadness when a pupil has had any trace of hope extinguished from their expectations.  We are witnessing record numbers of students being carted off to isolation booths within schools.  I understand why teachers want to minimise disruption to the learning progress of other students, but I do worry about the long-term effects prolonged periods or frequent spells in isolation has on a young person's willingness to believe in themselves and create a desire to succeed.

Driving instructors should not allow any inferences they draw on a pupil's apparent capability to affect their levels of expectation for the pupil.  As much as the findings of Robert Rosenthal and Lenora Jacobson "Pygmalion in the Classroom" (1968) are contested, I agree that there should be no pre-conceived ideas of limited capability to learn.  

I have worked with many pupils in the past who have come to me with well-rehearsed ideas in their mind of their limitations.  I don't let it phase me in the slightest. I don't.  I've witnessed so many break through the artificial chains they tie to their development.  Some pupils will take longer than others, I'm not pretending otherwise, but have faith in them, expect much, do not allow prejudices to enter your mind by lowering expectations for specific pupils.  While they continue to persevere the very least we can do, I would argue we must do, is offer them the genuine opportunity to overcome obstacles to learning and develop.  

TS Eliot offered us some guidance:

"The only wisdom we can hope to acquire

Is the wisdom of humility: humility is endless."

We should put aside any feelings of judgement, annoyance or comparisons towards our pupils, and give them everything we possibly can to help them achieve their goal of learning to drive - and sometimes that will be hope.