I Am A Warm Demander: Caring and High Expectations Are Not Exclusive

If you listen to the late Rita Pierson's TED talk, you have a perfect example of the term, "Warm Demander". 

As I was perusing the latest Edutopia articles, the title  "The Necessity of Having High Expectations" caught my eye. We, in the education field seem to have moved away from this mindset. The mindset of holding our students accountable, expecting the best, their best, from them.

We have led ourselves to believe that because our students are dealing with trauma, living in poverty, or any of the myriad of issues that they have to deal with, we should lower our expectations for them. If anything, as mentioned in the article, we should do the exact opposite, but in a caring, empathetic, manner.

I had never heard the term "Warm Demander" although this term seems to have been around for years.  When I read the definition, I knew it was a description of how I see myself as an educator.

This Warm Demander T chart  places educators in 4 categories, The Warm Demander, The Technocrat, The Sentimentalist, and The Elitist. And while it is not perfect, each category sums up educators I am sure we have all witnessed, some because of their deliberate actions, and some because they believe they are doing what is best for their students.

We can be better for our students. We have to make sure, that no matter what our students' circumstances, we meet their needs, but at the same time, hold them accountable and let them be successful without lowering our expectations.

 It is possible to do both. Be a Warm Demander. 

Warm Defender T-Chart Credit: "Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain" 

Teach Them Like They're Future Presidents!

A conversation in a workshop, in a classroom, in a school, in a district, in a city, in a state, in our country. An unfortunate conversation that has probably been repeated many times across the U.S.

Discussing a real world problem while teaching volume:
Presenter/Teacher:  We need to give the kids a real world application. I think this problem would be great for that.
Teacher 1:  Yes, that's an excellent way to teach that concept.
Presenter/Teacher: After all, let's face it. These kids will probably be filling boxes for a living anyway.
Teacher 2(indignantly) :  I don't know what kids you're talking about! The kids in my class are going to be future presidents, or CEO's!
Presenter/Teacher:     (crickets)

And that's who we should be teaching, future presidents. Future CEO's, astronauts, computer geniuses, authors, and inventors. That's how we should be teaching, as if the future is theirs for the taking. As if this is what we are preparing them for. Is there only one type of kid who gets to be taught this way?

Because you know what? If it has already been decided that they are going to be nothing but "box fillers", then that's the way they will be taught. If it has already been decided that they are going to be pregnant in middle school, then that's the way they will be taught.

If it has already been decided that there is not much that will come of their lives because mom is a single parent, they are African-American, Mexican, poor "white trash" , living below the poverty line, dad is in jail, grandma is raising them, or any of the other reasons teachers have used to crown themselves foreseers of the future of their students' lives, then that is how they will be taught!

 They will not be challenged. The expectations for them will be little or none. When they ask for challenges, they will be dismissed. They will become a "population" of students of which nothing is ever expected.

And unless, they get a teacher or a mentor who will treat them as if they can be somebody, their life is destined to be where that  teacher said it would lead. Then in a few years, that teacher can pat them-self on the back and say, "I told you so!" smiling smugly, satisfied.

Will some of them end up working in McDonald's? pregnant? Of course, life happens. But while they are in our care, while they still have a chance, let's teach them as if they a future president!