They have help from fewer administrators, specialists, and other support staff. The first is to develop the student as learner. Teachers with little time for their many roles tend to help students share more fully the responsibilities of the learning process. Many students in small schools also share responsibilities at home. The second opportunity is to include collaborative learning experiences, which use more fully the varied knowledge and background of the broad range of students.
High expectations are essential.
Students need to believe in their potential to learn. Because students base their beliefs on their teachers' behavior toward them, teachers must remain especially sensitive to their own classroom behaviors that might express low expectations. Teachers cannot assume that students know how to learn. Effective teachers spend the first few weeks of the school year practicing with their students the skills of management and planning. Although many teachers cooperatively develop classroom rules, research shows that the positive effect depends on only two factors.