Children bearing first names judged desirable by teachers tend to have more positive self concepts (Garwood, 1976). First names were also found to lead to different teacher expectations so that name stereotyping plays some role in the classroom. Other studies by Parlady (1969) and Rubovits and Maehr (1973) confirm the expectancy effect. Coopersmith\'s (1967) study also showed that parents who expected their children to live up to the standards they established were more likely to encourage healthy self esteem in their offspring than parents who did not have these expectations. From the work of Shaw and Dutton (1962) it would appear that parents of under-achieving children have more strongly negative attitudes towards their children than do the parents of achieving youngsters. However, the study does not reveal definitely whether these attitudes are one of the results of under-achievement, or one of its cause. From a logical point of view, it is easier to build a case for such attitudes as casual rather than resultant factors. This finding was particularly marked for boys. Thus, many under-achievers start school under a handicap and simply justify their parents\' expectations. The strong grip of constant demeaning squeezes out the last drops of self confidence and worth. Expectations represent a belief in the pupils\' competency and ability. When established at reasonable levels they provide a vote of confidence out of which positive self esteem can grow. Teachers apparently tend to interact more positively and favorably with ‘brighter\' children, and the latter respond by being more effective pupils, thus confirming the teachers\' expectations. Pupils reputations are notorious for being passed on from one teacher to another, increasingly determining the child\'s performance for good or bad. ‘Watch him, don\'t turn your back on him, he\'s up to all sorts of tricks\', to ‘He\'s a hard worker, you\'ll always get good worker from him\', are typical of the staffroom comments heard in every school. Non-verbal communication by facial expression, tone of voice and gaze direction also communication expectations. Considerable research indicates, too, that children will work harder at tasks and are thereby more likely to achieve a positive self-concept if they believe that they, rather than chance or the teacher, are responsible for the successes they achieve (Rotter, 1966). In fact, a large-scale national survey indicated that a pupil\'s belief is his control over his destiny was more important to achievement than any other school factors measured, such as facilities, teachers and curriculum (Coleman, 1966). This concept of external locus of control was briefly noted in Chapter 8, section F(a) The three conditions which facilitate the high self esteem in the home environment (Ch.7). These three are: 1. The teacher\'s acceptance of the child, while at the same time recognizing the child\'s strengths, problems and limitations. By accepting the child the teacher indicates that the child is worthy of the teacher\'s attention and respect. This respect enables the child to come to terms with his abilities and limitations. 2. The existence of explicit limits, clearly defined and consistently enforced, which provide standards of conduct and behavioral expectations. 3. The provision of respectful treatment which is given to pupils who observe limits and act in accordance with rules and guidelines of the classroom. As we shall see later in this chapter, the ability of the teacher to provide these conditioning depends quite markedly on the teacher himself possessing a positive self-concept. This allows him to function in a competent confident way able to accept all pupils as individuals in a supportive environment providing clear and realistic expectations at an individual level. Another line of attack to improve pupil self-concept is by direct counselling, which in reality provides the same sort of conditions noted above, i.e. acceptance, respect, limits in a supportive milieu, but undertaken in a more sophisticated and planned way.