What specifically can teachers do to communicate high expectations for learning/behavior to students?

Answer 1

Model the behavior/communication skills that you want the students to adopt. Perhaps act out examples of less stellar approaches so you can talk about why they are flawed and troublesome in a fun or funny non-threatening way.

Provide examples from past students to show what you consider to be excellence.

Clearly explain why you think these skills are important and what the benefits can be for such approaches in both the short term and the long term.

Provide unique "reward experiences" with a visiting speaker, a special film, or other tangible and thoughtful learning experiences that are out of the ordinary routine.

Spend more time praising those who are doing well or who are making progress than you spend criticizing or pointing out inappropriate behaviors. Don't totally ignore them, but don't make a big deal out of them because for some people, negative attention is still attention.