Great Expectations

By russ GerBer

A teacher friend of mine told the true story of a fellow teacher , new to the school , who was recognized by her colleagues for outstanding student achievement . Going into the semester , expectations were generally low for the students she ’ d been assigned to teach , but the students showed a surprising turnaround by the end of the school term .

At the end of the semester , there was dinner for the teachers , and she was asked to tell her colleagues her secret . How was it her students had such a high grade-point average ? She

was surprised at the recognition and confessed that she might have had a little help .

Before the semester began , she was in the administration office and noticed on a desk a list with her students ’ names on it . Next to each of their names , she saw their IQ scores and was impressed with how high they were . There was no secret to her method , she said . She simply taught them fully confident they would do well and wasn ’ t surprised at the outcome .

Following dinner , she was approached by one of the school administrators , who quietly took the teacher aside to tell her something about the list she saw . The numbers next to their names weren ’ t IQ scores . They were newly assigned locker numbers .

Chalk it up to the power of expectations , which is the subtitle of Chris Berdik ’ s book , “ Mind Over Mind .” Berdik , an experienced journalist who has covered psychology and neuroscience , examines how our expectations can change everything and cause us to rethink our most cherished beliefs about education , sports , criminal justice and health .

Berdik takes readers from centuries-old history to modern-day research on imagination , mesmerism , animal magnetism , belief , willpower , placebos and nocebos .

“ They ’ re not one and the same ,” he writes , “ but they reflect the mind ’ s habit of jumping to conclusions and the surprising power these conclusions wield .”

He told me that where this radically affects our lives is with health .

“ The intersection of expectations and health is one of the most fascinating things I researched for the book .”

Health professionals , health researchers , and the public at large are paying close attention to the relationship of expectations to health . It ’ s no longer a question of if there ’ s a relationship , but how close is it ?

A large body of placebo and nocebo research suggests there ’ s a direct correlation . Being hopeful can improve health outcomes , while hopelessness has the reverse effect . Fear of sickness can be a health hazard to the one who ’ s afraid , while an expectation of well-being can bring relief . The fact is , Berdik notes , “ our real world is in many ways an expected world .”

So then , what frames our expectations ? Much of it is from everyday education , what we commonly pick up in today ’ s media environment as to what ’ s to be expected in our lives .

If that constant flow of information is relentlessly worrisome or discouraging , it ’ s easy to be overwhelmed with fear and powerlessness , which form an unhealthy mental state . “ Ignorant that the human mind governs the body , its phenomenon ,” wrote mental treatment advocate Mary Baker Eddy . “ The invalid may unwittingly add more fear to the mental reservoir already overflowing with that emotion .”

Health and happiness thrive in a peaceful , confident mentality , which may explain why meditation and prayer are listed in prescriptions and national surveys as health-promoting practices . Stress levels are reduced , body functions improve , and the human system returns to normal — much better side effects than we ’ re accustomed to seeing .

This suggests that we ’ re less helpless when it comes to governing

GERBER , PAGE 20

FREE COMPOSTING WORK RKSHOP HOP FOR LAGUNA BEACH RESIDENTS

SAT .

- June 15 , 202424

10:00 00 a . m

. - 11:00 a . m .

Bluebird Park - 7222 Cress

Street , Laguna Beach

This event is offered by the City of Laguna Beach in partnership with Waste Management .

ATTENDEES WILL LEARN HOW TO RECYCLE YARD AND FOOD WASTE INTO VALUABLE ORGANIC FERTILIZER FOR THE GARDEN USING SIMPLE COMPOSTING TECHNIQUES .

Compost Bins Compost bins and worms bins will be available for purchase at a discounted price . For questions , please contact the workshop instructor at ( 310 ) 874-2499 or via email at lisarydermoore @ gmail . com . Visit the City ’ s website at www . lagunabeachcity . net / recycling for future workshop dates and other recycling events .

Event is provided as part of the Franchise Agreement with the City ’ s solid waste hauler , Waste Management .

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