You mean using reverse psychology on 'em to get them to prove you wrong
by showing you that they do want all changes to their teaching
potential that result from their students pygmalioning them into seeing
how their teaching can be freeing for the students when their teaching
realizes its potential?
That was hard to decode---whatever it is we're talking about.
I think pygmalioning isn't as good as noticing what the kids are and what
they're going through, while listening to the beat of life. I think throwing
out positive and negative expectations is the best thing.
That leaves the teacher (and the student) much more open to possibilities.
In other words, that's really saying that positive expectations can
hinder growth.
I think they do, because they take up room in the mind that could be room
used for noticing what the kids are really like.
That's important because when a teacher sees that, they can combine their
energy and creative attention with the student's hidden or unhidden desire
to discover and learn and live.
There's more room/space/reception for flashpoint interplay.
That fusion of mutual interest is what touches off wonder and the
disciplined pursuit of wonder.
"Discipline" meaning focused interest, like when you're noticing a
friend walking into open area 25 feet away from you, and then you
see their silhouette against the full moon.
And it astounds you.
And you weren't going to take your eyes off it until you saw the whole thing.
That's discipline, as that same kind of attention can be applied to
how new experiences in learning talk to you from the inside throughout the
day.