4 Practices of Warm Demander Teachers

A well-known approach that combines high expectations with a firm belief in students’ ability to succeed can guide them to deeper learning.

Many of us can remember an instructor who encouraged our best performance: the teacher we didn’t want to disappoint, who supported us to reach our potential. Using a term coined by Judith Kleinfeld, Lisa Delpit wrote that “warm demanders” are teachers who “expect a great deal of their students, convince them of their own brilliance, and help them reach their potential in a disciplined and structured environment.”