When observing teachers, we see what we expect. If we approve of them and expect them to be effective, we’ll interpret whatever occurs in a positive light; if we disapprove of them or expect to see poor performance, we will tend to interpret events more negatively. The more we can view people and events with an open mind and a sense that we have something to learn, the more likely we are to see things we weren’t anticipating. And the more convinced we are that every problem is familiar, the more likely we are to be convinced by our own expertise.
