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Using Warm Demand to Build Student Achievement

Resource Bundle

I. Warm Demand & Academic Achievement Resource

II. Graphic Organizer

III. Planning Template & Exemplar – Supplement

IV. Examples & Illustrations – Supplement

V. References


Warm Demand & Academic Achievement

Resource (Back to Table of Contents)

How to use this guide:

1. Review the definition of warm demand, and the beliefs and actions associated with it. 2. Review the strategies that correspond with each action. 3. Self-reflect by asking yourself: To what extent do I do these things? Ask for additional feedback from

colleagues or students.1 4. Prioritize an action or set of actions for improvement.

o When will you start doing this? How will you do it? What will you observe for? 5. Reflect on outcomes, and repeat the process.

o When will you pause to reflect on progress? What will show evidence of progress? Definitions:

Warm demand – Balancing discipline and care to create a structured learning environment in which all students are expected to reach high levels of academic achievement – and are supported in doing so (Bondy et al., 2012; Ford & Sassi, 2014, p. 43; Irvine & Fraser, 1998; Ware, 2006).

Academic achievement – Student learning: development of literacy, numeracy, technological, and critical thinking skills. Includes the skills needed to pose and solve problems, generate questions, address injustice, and open doors of opportunity (Ladson-Billings, 1995).

Belief: My instruction must be rigorous and relevant.

Associated Actions Strategies

I set rigorous learning objectives based on high expectations for student achievement.

Consult multiple sources (standardized assessments, district benchmarks, exemplary student work) to conceptualize rigor in your content area.

“Plan backwards” so that units and lessons help students develop the knowledge and skills that will open doors of opportunity2.

I plan engaging lessons that are relevant to the lives and aspirations of my students.

Constantly ask yourself questions like: - Why do my students need to learn this? - How can I link this content to their experiences,

concerns, and aspirations? - How will this knowledge help them critically analyze

their world and act upon it?

I teach and reinforce the mindsets that my students will need for long-term academic success.

Identify habits and mindsets needed for your students’ academic success: effort, perseverance, study skills, organization, etc.

Teach and model these skills, and discuss them explicitly with my students.

1 For suggestions on how you might solicit feedback from students (including sample questions you might ask), see supplement entitled Warm Demand Survey Questions for Students. 2 For an excellent resource on breaking down the knowledge and skills embedded in state standards and assessment items, and using them to backwards-plan instruction, see: Understanding by Design by Wiggins & McTighe (2005).


Belief: I must hold students to high expectations for behavior and achievement.


I combine “high help” with “high perfectionism” (Ferguson, 2008).

Use your words and actions to show students that you welcome their questions, are willing to help them when they make mistakes, and will make sure they understand the material.

Constantly press students to improve the quality and accuracy of their work.

Use assessment data to give feedback on progress, and push students toward higher levels of mastery.

I take a “zero indifference” approach to misbehavior, and insist on a culture of mutual respect (Scharf, 2014).

“Zero indifference3” means that you always address behavior that is disrespectful (to you or other students) or that interferes with student learning.

Give students an opportunity to repair the harm they caused or restore damaged relationships rather than simply punishing them.

I refuse to allow students to “slide by” or disengage (Irvine, 2003).

Use your words and actions to convey to your students that anything less than their best effort is unacceptable.

Constantly seek to reconnect disengaged students to their learning.

“Fuss” over students and demand that they stay focused and on-task – but in a way that conveys caring rather than a demand for compliance.

Belief: My students’ trust and respect must be earned.


I listen to my students and demonstrate empathy.

Listen to your students and seek to understand their concerns.

Seek out student feedback, and try to incorporate this feedback into your teaching.

I work to understand lines of similarity and difference that exist between myself and my students.

Reflect on the implications of your own identity markers (race, class, gender, sexuality, ethnicity) and the ways in which they are similar to (or different from) those of your students.

Strive to create a classroom space where each student feels that his/her identities are honored and respected.

I act as an ally to my students.

Acknowledge and validate your students’ experiences.

Seek to understand the personal and societal challenges they are up against.

Work with students to combat different forms of oppression4 they may face.

3 “Zero indifference” is distinctly different from “zero tolerance.” Zero tolerance discipline policies generally designate mandatory punishments (i.e. detention) in response to given misbehaviors. Zero tolerance policies are ineffective, can damage teacher-student relationships, and fuel the school-to-prison pipeline (Scharf, 2014). 4 Oppression is “prejudice and discrimination backed by institutional power” (DiAngelo, 2012, p. 45). Students may face oppression based on their race, ethnicity, citizenship status, socioeconomic class, gender, sexuality, or other identity markers. Part of being an ally means standing in solidarity with students to resist oppression in all its forms.


Warm Demand & Academic Achievement

Graphic Organizer (Back to Table of Contents)

Achievement & Expectations

Key Ideas Notes

All students must achieve.

Achievement = student learning.

High expectations are essential for achievement.

What is warm demand?

Definition Notes

Belief: My instruction must be rigorous and relevant.

Actions Ideas for my classroom

Set rigorous learning objectives based on high expectations for student achievement.

Plan engaging lessons that are relevant to the lives and aspirations of students.

Teach and reinforce the mindsets that students will need for long-term academic success.


Belief: I must hold students to high expectations for behavior and achievement.


Combine “high help” with “high perfectionism.”

Take a “zero indifference” approach to misbehavior, and insist on a culture of mutual respect.

Refuse to allow students “slide by” or disengage.

Belief: My students’ trust and respect musts be earned.


Listen to students and demonstrate empathy.

Work to understand lines of similarity and difference that exist between teacher and students.

Act as an ally to students.


Planning Template + Exemplar

Supplement (Back to Table of Contents)

Prioritized action/strategy:

Implementation When will I start doing this?

How will I do this?

What will I observe for?

Reflection When will I pause to reflect on

progress toward outcomes?

What will show evidence of progress – both my own and my students’?


Exemplar

Prioritized action/strategy: Plan engaging lessons that are relevant to the lives and aspirations of my students.

Implementation When will I start doing this?

How will I do this?

What will I observe for?

Starting on Monday, I am going to consider this question every time I plan a lesson

or unit: Why is it important for my students to learn this?

I am going to consider this question from the point of view of my students. When I

present new content or teach a new skill, I’m going to commit to doing two things:

o Building up-front investment at the beginning of the lesson by connecting it

to something of current significance to my students.

o Show my students what this knowledge or skill can help them do.

I am going to observe my students’ level of engagement, their effort level, and the quality of their work. I believe that the more relevant and meaningful they find a given task, the harder they will work on it.

Reflection When will I pause to reflect on

progress toward outcomes?

What will show evidence of progress – both my own and my students’?

I am going to prioritize this action for the next month, and stop to reflect at the end

of each week. I am going to use the following “data points” to inform my reflection:

o Students’ performance on formative assessments (quizzes and exit tickets,

certain pieces of class work, etc.)

o Classroom observations: To what extent are students focused and on-

task? To what extent are students actively participating during classroom

activities?

o Rates of homework and classwork completion

I am also going to survey my class at two weeks and at four weeks to hear their

thoughts on these questions:

o Do you think that the stuff we are learning in class is important? Why or

why not?

o Are you motivated to work hard in class? Why or why not?

o Do you feel like you can get help when you need it? Why or why not?

My hope is to follow up with individual students to dialogue about some of their responses.


Examples & Illustrations

Supplement (Back to Table of Contents)

Actions:

Set rigorous learning objectives

Plan engaging lessons relevant to the lives of students

Grade/ Content Area

Example/Illustration

Middle school (6th – 8th grade) reading/ language arts

Description:

Thematic unit on school policies and bullying.

Students will read 5-6 informational texts that explore issues such as school uniforms, gender segregation, banning cell phones in school, and bullying.

They will engage in class discussions and debates that explore multiple sides of these issues.

They will complete performance tasks in which they practice writing arguments to support their position on an issue, and supporting them with evidence from the texts and from class discussions.

The culminating performance task will be a five-paragraph, informational essay in which students explore the causes and effects of bullying, and propose solutions to prevent it at their school.

Targeted Skills/Standards:

Identifying main idea and supporting details (RI.6.2)

Analyzing the structure of a text (RI.6.3, RI.6.5)

Determine author’s point of view and purpose (RI.6.6.)

Write arguments to support claims with clear and relevant evidence (W.6.1)

Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information (W.6.2)

Why the unit will be meaningful and relevant to students:

It explores topics that impact them personally.

It explores topics for which students have personal experience and background knowledge.

This background knowledge can be augmented (and complicated) by expository texts that provide additional information on these topics.


Actions: Combining “high help” with “high perfectionism”

Refuse to allow students to disengage

Grade/ Content Area


Middle school (6th – 8th grade) example, but relevant for all grade levels and content areas.

Description:

A 2010 study investigated the instructional and management practices of two highly effective middle school teachers at an urban school in the southeast (Milner & Tenore, 2010).

The school served a predominantly African-American population of students, and both of these teachers had developed a reputation for strong classroom management and effective instruction. The authors identified things that both teachers did to establish a culture of high expectations…

Teacher Behaviors:

They would explain concepts in multiple ways, and provide students multiple opportunities to show mastery. At the same time, they held students accountable for staying on task and doing their work.

They operated with an understanding of the difference between equity (“fairness”) and equality (“sameness”). The teachers worked to ensure that each student received what he or she needed – either in terms of behavioral intervention or academic support – to be successful.

Both teachers conceived of school as a community. They allowed students to share their perspectives on how the community should be defined, and the norms that should govern it. They showed a level of respect and care for their students and caregivers that one would have for members of one’s family. One way that they demonstrated this care was by always addressing misbehavior – even when it occurred outside of their own class - and requiring each student to give his or her best effort.

The teachers took relationship-building very seriously. They immersed themselves in the worlds of their students by learning about their interests and spending time in their communities. They shared personal information (about their families, about their own interests) so that students could get to know them better.

Action:

Taking a “zero indifference” approach to misbehavior

Grade/ Content Area


Relevant for all grade levels and content areas

Description:

The Teaching Tolerance publication Critical Practices for Anti-Bias Education (Scharf,

2014) describes a values-based approach to classroom management that can help students meet high expectations for behavior.

One strategy it recommends is infusing principles of restorative justice into classroom management. In this approach, instances of wrongdoing are treated as opportunities for learning, and students are positioned to problem-solve and make amends for the harm caused by their actions.

Sample Restorative Justice Strategies:

Asking students questions to probe for their understanding of the problem and its causes.

Helping students identify ways to make amends for misbehavior (e.g. apologizing, cleaning, replacing)

Involving students in discussion of how to best solve or correct the problem.

Encouraging reflection on how others have been affected by the behavior; sharing feelings. (Ashley & Burke, 2009)


Action: Listen to your students and demonstrate empathy

Grade/ Content Area


Relevant for all grade levels and content areas

Description:

Dr. Makeba Jones and Dr. Susan Yonezawa, of the Center for Research on Educational Equity, Assessment, and Teaching Excellence (CREATE) describe a structure teachers can use for honoring students’ perspectives.

They recommend forming student inquiry groups in which students can share how they have experienced the school – and teachers’ – academic and social practices.

Student inquiry groups operate from the belief that “every student is an expert on his or her learning” (Jones & Yonezawa, 2008, p. 212). In order to be effective, teachers must convey that that sincerely want to use student feedback to inform their teaching.

Sample Questions:

Do you feel like my approach to discipline is fair? Why or why not?

Do you find the material we study interesting and challenging? Why or why not?

What kinds of assignments do you most enjoy?

Do you feel that our classroom environment is a safe and respectful place?

Action: Act as an ally to your students

Grade/ Content Area


High school (9-12) language arts

Description:

Multicultural educator Linda Christensen (2014) shares an example of acting as an ally to students around issues of language diversity.

She taught at a high school with a large population of African-American students, many of whom spoke African-American Vernacular English (“Black English”) at home and in their community.

She also witnessed several acts of linguistic discrimination, in which students were made to feel inferior because of the way they spoke and wrote.

To combat this oppression, she created a 5-week unit on contemporary language issues. Students studied – through literature, film, nonfiction texts, and poetry – how myths of linguistic inferiority were created and perpetuated. The unit included a study of the rules of both AAVE and Standard English. Students were able to see their home language legitimated as a structured grammar system, learn about its history, and differentiate it from “slang.”


Using Warm Demand to Build Student Achievement

References (Back to Table of Contents)

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Using Warm Demand to Build Student Achievement Resource …modules.sanfordinspire.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/... · Warm Demand & Academic Achievement Resource (Back to Table of