our observations revealed that the students were most likely responding to the low expectations and mediocrity in teaching found in her "regular" grade-level classes (Perry, Steele and Hilliard, 2004).
I experienced something very similar in my high school Spanish classes. It was common knowledge amongst students at the school that the teaching in the Spanish classes were mediocre, less than satisfactory, and undesirable. Additionally the expectations were very low and I learned very little despite taking 3 years of courses.