“The Teacher as a Warm Demander” by Elizabeth Bondy and Dorene Ross explains that developing an engaged classroom is very difficult especially in high-poverty schools. Studies have shown that the “warm demander” teaching approach is an effective teaching style. Consider the following questions as you comment to this article.
The authors discuss strategies for building relationships with students. What are some of the strategies that have been successful in your classroom?
On the basis of this relationship, warm demanders insist that all students are successful before moving on? Are your students in your classroom mastering the skills set for them before you introduce new material? What are some of the strategies you use to reach all your students?
Prompted by Dale and Karon
As I mentioned in my blog response to the “Power of Our Words” article, I use Responsive Classroom type language with my students. It is direct and gives them responsibility for themselves. It is also effective for younger students based on my experience with it. I found it interesting that this article gives examples that come from a warm demander that are the opposite of the type of language that someone using Responsive Classroom might use, yet the concepts, goals and reported outcomes are similar. Maybe the warm demander would be a good strategy for secondary teachers. I also think that some students, no matter their age need to be directed and sometimes Responsive Classroom type strategies just aren’t enough.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the authors that it is about building relationships. I agree that even though at times I thought the language they used was a little harsh, students understood where their teachers were coming from and they had built a relationship of trust. Students understood that the teacher really wanted what was best for the student and was not willing to give up on the student.
ReplyDeleteI would like to believe that all students master the materials before moving on, but that is not always the case. We are always trying new approaches to give students a variety of ways to work with the material. One of the strategies we are using this year is a math intervention program that is geared to each individual student through online tutorials. Besides the online piece, students play a variety of math games, and work with different manipulatives to reinforce concepts. We are anxious to see how it helps.
This article relates to the poverty project some of us are doing for class. The book I have read for the project explains that middle-class parents negotiate with their children. They also reason, offer choices, and explain the “whys” so middle-class children grow up learning these skills. Poor and working-class parents manage their children using their parental authority by giving short verbal directives. Therefore, these children don’t acquire the same skills of negotiation and reasoning as the middle-class children. I would expect this explains why the warm demander approach seems to be successful with children in high poverty schools – it is what these children are used to and expect from adults.
ReplyDeleteI have found that being direct and matter of fact to be very effective with some children while using reasoning and negotiating works better for others. I have never really paid any attention to the socio-economic class of these children but I will watch for it now that I have read this article. I was surprised by the example given on the first page of this article of something said to an Alaskan 9th grader. It sounds demanding but I wouldn’t call it warm. I think you can be warmer and still show that you demand something.
I have to admit that I do move on before everyone in my class is successful. However, I continue to work with the children who have not mastered a skill even while we are moving on. There is a point when you have to honor the children who are ready to move on as long as you are not leaving the others behind completely.
I couldnt agree more about the importance of building relationships with your students. I thought the article did an excellent job of explaining that "warm demanders" might sound mean when you read what they say to their students at times but without spending time in their classrooms, I dont think that you can judge whether they are "mean" or not. "Warm Demanders" still smile at their students, use their names to greet them, and show interest in each child. They mentioned the importance of making sure that your students have no doubt in their minds about how much you believe in them and have their best interests in your mind at all times. That way, when you speak to your students in a "harsh" way, they do not take it personal. They will listen because they know they can trust you to not make them do anything that isnt best for them. I think it is important for all teachers to have at least a little "warm demander" in them!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Erin’s suggestion that a warm defender approach would work better than a responsive classroom approach at the secondary level. I work in a high poverty area and find myself using a majority of these strategies in my classroom. When a student is a behavioral problem in the classroom it usually means something is wrong either at home or at school. My students know from the beginning of the year that that I have high expectation for them in my classroom and know that they will be responsible for their actions. In my classroom most of my students are dealing with issues that I could not image dealing with at my age. I think that it is important to understand who the student is and what their background is like.
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