What is the Relationship Between Middle and Secondary Educators that use the Warm

Demander Pedagogy and Academic Achievement for Students?

Aleigh M Monroe

College of Education, Butler University

ED 227: Introduction to Middle and Secondary Students and Schools

Professor Felicia Williams

December 5, 2022
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Abstract

Zeretta Hammond, in Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain, defines a warm demander

as a teacher who communicates personal warmth toward students while at the same time

demands they work toward high standards ( Hammond, 2015). This well-known educator

pedagogy has been investigated through academic journals, books, and research studies.

Research contextualized how educators create developmentally appropriate and culturally

responsive conditions for learning through the warm-demander pedagogy while promoting

students' academic success. Generally, the research concluded that the use of warm-demander

pedagogy positively affects students' academic performance. Data collected brought light to

important discussions on how the implementation of the warm demander specifically impacted

students' success. The middle and secondary school research was investigated through

quantitative and qualitative data collection. Specifically, research was collected through in-

person classroom observations, competitive test scores, and interviews with community

members, teachers, and students. Evidence investigated motivation for students through

relationship building, setting high expectations, application for diverse communities, and the

relationship between positive school culture implementation on student's successes.

Contextualizing research from a variety of academic journals, the application of the warm-

demander pedagogy has been used to boost academic success in middle and secondary schools.

Keywords: warm demander, academic success, middle and secondary schools

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The Warm Demander Pedagogy Effects on Academic Success for Middle and Secondary

Students

The warm-demander pedagogy in relation to students' academic success is an important

investigation as it pertains to equitable practices in a classroom and the critical role educators

have to work with all students. It matters especially for white educators as the warm demander

pedagogy is an imperative tool to build relationships and equity in classrooms with diverse

schools (Ford. 2014). It's also important as adolescents in middle and secondary schools have

developmental needs that the warm demander pedagogy can help fulfill, especially students'

social and emotional needs (Hurtig & Chernoff, 2020). The research aims to prove that the warm

demander pedagogy is a tool that can be used to create equitable practices that increase student

participation and motivation and create a positive learning environment that is beneficial for all

students' success and developmental needs.

Literature Review

Synthesizing the relationship between middle and secondary educators who use the

warm-demander pedagogy on academic achievement, the research analysis tracks the intellectual

progression in the field of education by exploring a warm-demander pedagogy. A comprehensive

analysis of multiple academic sources generated space to have five key takeaways that stemmed

from the question: What is the relationship between the warm-demander pedagogy for middle

and secondary students on academic success? The five components included a warm demander

on student motivation in schools, cultivating teacher-to-student relationships in practice, positive

school culture, high expectations, and application for diverse populations.

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Prediction of Motivation and Academic Success

Discussing how the warm demander promotes motivation and academic success, it's

imperative to analyze the relationship between student-to-teacher relationships and its

predictions of academic motivation and success. The researcher highlights how lower economic

schools and districts typically are lower in academic motivation and success (Scales, 2020).

Researchers argue relationships are foundational to support motivations and emphasized the

practice of relationship-building in lower economic schools (Bonner, 2014). Researchers

analyzed educators’ ability to cultivate caring interactions while also challenging students to

stretch their intellectual abilities. The methodology was administered through an online survey

for sixth, seventh, and eighth graders. The survey included questions on developmental

relationships, academic motivations, and school climate. The finding indicated an “okay” level

of quality relationships with teachers but proved the association between teacher relationships to

students’ academic motivation.

Comparative research demonstrates a similar connection and states increasing positive

teacher-to-student relationships directly relates to an increase in academic achievement and

motivation (Masko, 2018). Reaffirmed through Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, evidence shows

the vital role relationships have in higher-order thinking. Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory offers

a valuable understanding of methods that guide educators to satisfy the social and emotional

needs of adolescents that contribute to their academic achievement. In order for educators to

support students in their emotional development, educators will need to presume a special role in

the creation of social interactions through collaboratively work and strong teacher-to-student

relationships (Saracho, 2021). To gain motivation and academic achievement, educators must
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address the developmental stage of relationship building with social and emotional domains

while using the warm-demander pedagogy as a vessel for classroom practices.

Cultivating Teacher-to-Student Relationships in Practice

Hammond’s, Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain discusses the research

behind the warm demander and the importance for students to cultivate genuine relationships

with teachers. (Hammond, 2015) research further discusses the warm demander pedagogy

through learning partnerships of establishing trust and familiarity.( Hammond, 2015)focuses on

the idea of building relationships and familiarity through small everyday interactions. Familiarity

cannot be built overnight, and it takes real work to build this with students (Hammond, 2015).

Additionally, earning the right to demand is an imperative practice in the warm demander

pedagogy that is established through a built alliance and the value of mutual effort. This effort

then translated to higher success rates with students’ ability for self-reflection and educators’

ability to have an authentic rapport that supports active demandingness in positive ways.

Similarly, investigations on highly successful mathematics teachers show supportive evidence of

establishing familiarity within the warm demander pedagogy on overall students’ success

(Bonner, 2014). Hammond’s earning the right to demand, (Bonner, 2014) states that earning the

right to demand comes from establishing authority through valued relationships and character

traits.

Positive School Culture

Similarly, (Masko, 2018) research outlines the relationship between positive school

culture and academic achievement. Findings indicated that a positive school climate cultivated a

“family atmosphere” and is determined by high expectations and relationships. Researchers

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analyzed how positive relationships between teachers and students increased overall well-being

in school for the whole population. Researchers conducted qualitative data on the qualifications

that exist in successful teaching-student relationships. The Midwest, low-income, and culturally

diverse school was observed for 7 months. Student interviews were conducted over various

levels of academic achievement and results were collected from high-achieving students. Results

showed that high-achieving students reported having positive outlooks on school climate and

relationships with teachers.

The importance of a positive school climate is connected to a student's overall

development in physical, cognitive, and socioemotional domains. Urine Bronfenbrenner

proposed his ecological theory connected how people understood their environment and

influenced their overall development (Saracho, 2021). As proved by Masko's (2018) qualitative

data analysis, students who were able to positively relate to their environment were more likely

to succeed in a school environment. Comparing the research to Bronfenbrenner's theory, it

directly correlates to the importance of the environment for the development of physical,

cognitive, and socioemotional needs.

High Expectations

The documentary created by Jean Dissard, “I Learn America” examined the warm

demander practices in a highly populated immigrant school. Throughout the documentary,

evidence was presented on how educators use the warm demander pedagogy for immigrant

students and English language learners. The warm demander in this documentary demonstrated

these skills by holding high standards and offering emotional support and instructional

scaffolding to dependent learners. Specifically, the school offers students the ability to talk about

grades and assignments through Pati Ibarra, the in-school social worker. The educators at this
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diverse high school set high expectations for all students to follow and in turn generate a sense of

mutual effort for teachers and students. Looking to further research in the field, understanding

the warm demander practices for immigrant students would prove useful for understanding the

complexities of cultivating an academic mindset in middle and secondary schools. Using the

documentary as a resource, educators can adopt high expectations for their students and follow a

similar pedagogy.

Application for Diverse Communities

Discussing interpretations of the warm demander pedagogy for diverse populations,

Ford’s research concluded the importance of warm demander approaches on academic success

specifically for African American students, and the role of a white educator teaching across

cultural boundaries (Ford ,2014). White teachers are overrepresented in public schools and

therefore, researchers put reasonability on the educator to examine methods across white-black

racial classroom differences. This journal offered an essential analysis of a warm demander and

the implications race has on a particular pedagogy. Seemingly unique to the warm demander

research, (Ford, 2014) research shows the importance of familiarity in building learning

partnerships within the warm demander as educators work with diverse populations in schools to

boost student achievement. Specifically, the theoretical framework examines teachers’ authority

and its implications on race. The “authority figure” was viewed as an institutional role for white

educators, while African American educators earned authority through personal traits. White

teachers were able to address the needs of African American students through the warm

demander as African American educators cultivate the same pedagogy (Ford, 2014). The

researcher detailed how language, shared experiences, and communication from African

Americans educators proved to be more effective for underserved students. Researchers

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concluded that white teachers struggled to reach African American students without the practice

of the warm demander pedagogy. The research proved useful as it analyzed the warm demander

pedology as it pertains to teachers of different races. The study is detailed with key elements to

increase authority; foster a warm demander and translate the methodology for the academic

success of all students.

Methodology

The methodology for the research concluded represented a variety of sources, including

academic journals, field case studies, and published books from experts in the field. Comparing

research concluded from experts and personal classroom observations, finding indicated the

presence of a warm demander to increase student achievement.

An expert case study (Scales,2020) outlines the relationship between student-to-teacher

relationships on predictions of academic motivation and success. The research highlights how

lower economic schools and districts typically are lower in academic motivation and success.

Researchers argue relationships are foundational to support motivations and emphasized

practices of relationship building in lower economic schools. Researchers analyzed educators’

ability to cultivate caring interactions while also challenging students to stretch their intellectual

abilities. The methodology was administered through an online survey for sixth, seventh, and

eighth graders. The survey included questions on developmental relationships, academic

motivations, and school climate. ( Scales, 2020) research shows relevance in the examination of

the teacher-student relationship as a core concept of a warm demander.

Personal field observations collected from Short Ridge Highschool in Indianapolis

indicated that teacher-student relationships are key to increasing student achievement and
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participation. Observations were collected in Mr. Owens's dance class and were supportive of

warm demander practices as he offered emotional support and instructional scaffolding, guided

by mutual respect and strong relationships. Mr. Owens's students emerged in his challenging

course with support and competencies developing strategies. Mr. Owens set high expectations

for his students and allowed students to work collaboratively to complete required sequences. In

the observation, Mr. Owens maintains connections with his students by continually checking in,

asking questions, and overall creating a positive class environment. Class observations and

research concluded that relationships are foundational to students' success and sense of belonging

in the school environment.

Findings and Implications

Research findings collected from experts in the field, as well as personal observations,

indicated the warm demander pedagogy as a vital practicum educational tool that could be used

in middle and secondary classrooms. While using the warm demander pedagogy, evidence

produced positive implications for a diverse school population, an increase in student motivation,

and the importance of strong teacher-student relationships for students' success.

Expert research outlined the relationship between positive school culture and academic

achievement built through teacher-student relationships (Masko, 2018). In personal field

observations collected at Short Ridge Highschool, 9th-grade government teacher, Mr. Paarlberg

supported warm demander practices through familiarity and established high expectations

(Hammond, 2015). Mr. Paarlberg created familiarity with his students by asking his students

about their aspirations for college, jobs, expectations, grades, and apprehensions they might have

about their upcoming college fair. By remembering small details and asking students about their
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own interests, students feel a strong sense of belonging and increase motivation (Hammond,

2015), which supports academic achievement and positive school culture (Masko, 2018).

Discussing the finding for diverse populations, researchers theorized that culturally

related content in teaching is paramount for students’ academic achievement (Ware, 2006). The

researcher's results indicated the intersectionality between warm-demander pedagogies and racial

identity, and achievement for students of color (Ware, 2006). In personal observations in IPS

School #60, Mrs.Kiroff used warm demander practices to educate across cultural boundaries in

her diverse classroom. While researchers detailed how language, shared experiences, and

communication from African Americans educators proved to be more effective for diverse

populations, research concluded that white teachers could use the warm demander pedagogy to

reach diverse populations (Ford, 2014). Demonstrating these practices in a classroom, Mrs.

Kirkoff held high expectations and offered emotional support to her students. Mrs. Kiroff

reported that many of her students faced challenges in math because of the consequences Covid-

19 had on her student's learning. Students emerged in her challenging classroom, developing

competencies through collaborative work and strong relationships with Mrs. Kiroff. While Mrs.

Kiroff set high expectations and built trusting relationships, she had earned the right to demand

and used warm demander tactics to support her diverse classroom (Hammond, 2015). Overall,

the observations can be translated to comprehend how middle and secondary educators use the

warm demander pedagogy to help promote academic achievement for students in an urban

school setting.
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Analysis

Understanding the implantation of the warm demander pedagogy for students' overall

development and academic achievement, educators can create powerful relationships with

students in all classrooms. In order to cultivate these relationships in future educational roles, it

is necessary to establish rapport and familiarity (Hammond, 2015). This can be accomplished

through everyday interactions and investigations into students' aspirations out and setting high

expectations for academic success. Furthermore, while working with a diverse population of

students, it's important to recall warm demander practices as a tool for white educators to

utilize. Warm demander practices established mutual respect with students when working

across cultural boundaries, without creating traditional lessons with “cultural references to

food, holidays, or prominent cultural figures…that alone doesn't increase brainpower”

(Hammond, 2015, p.123). Rather, building strong relationships with students that build trust

with students and allow conversations about deeper culturally relevant topics to be possible.

Furthermore, building teacher-student relationships that support the investigation of culture in

school content is paramount for students' academic achievement (Ware, 2006). In a school

environment, working alongside students to create genuine connections and setting high

expectations can support all students' motivation to learn and achieve academic success. In turn,

this will create an environment that is equitable for all regardless of race, economic status,

gender, or cultural background.

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References

Bonner, E. P. (2014). Investigating practices of highly successful mathematics teachers of

traditionally underserved students. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 86(3), 377–399.

Ford, A. C., & Sassi, K. (2014). Authority in Cross-Racial Teaching and Learning

(Re)considering the Transferability of Warm Demander Approaches. Urban Education,

49(1), 39–74. https://doi.org/10.1177/0042085912464790

Hammond, Z. (2015). Culturally responsive teaching and the brain: Promoting authentic

engagement and rigor among culturally and linguistically diverse students. Corwin.

Kiuppis, F. (2016). Inclusion in sport: Disability and participation. Sport in Society, 21(1), 4–21.

https://doi.org/10.1080/17430437.2016.1225882

Masko, A. L. (2018). “Keep It Real & Love 'Em Up”: Student-Teacher Relationships in an

Urban Middle School. Curriculum and Teaching Dialogue, 20(1–2), 35–51.

Saracho, O. N., & Evans, R. (2021). Theorists and their developmental theories. Early Child

Development and Care, 191(7-8), 993–1001.

https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430.2021.1917266

Scales, P. C., Van Boekel, M., Pekel, K., Syvertsen, A. K., & Roehlkepartain, E. C. (2020).

Effects of developmental relationships with teachers on middle‐school students’

motivation and performance. Psychology in the Schools, 57(4), 646–677.

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Ware, F. (2006). Warm Demander Pedagogy: Culturally Responsive Teaching That

Supports a Culture of Achievement for African American Students. Urban

Education, 41(4), 427–456. https://doi.org/10.1177/0042085906289710