who have taught either "fast groups" or "slow groups." The teachers of the "fast groups" claimed that they had strong rapport with their students and that their classes were characterized by a high degree of warmth and congeniality (p. 122). By contrast, the teachers of the "slow groups" commented that their students had no respect for authority and that they were "underachievers" who "don't care" (p. 123). These comments reflect the expectations of the teachers regarding their "fast" or "slow" students. As noted, the division into "fast" and "slow" groups is often conducted along racial or socioeconomic lines. Poor children from black or Hispanic backgrounds often end up in "slow groups" simply because their teachers do not expect them to perform well in school. In the words of Rosenthal & Jacobson (1968), "children defined as disadvantaged are expected by their teachers to be unable to learn" (p. 53). By contrast, white middle- or upper-class students are expected to do well, and as such they tend to form the membership of the "fast groups.
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