ABSTRACT
Students in high-performing urban schools reported that their teachers cared, in part because students perceived that their teachers taught challenging academic content, insisted upon good behavior, and demanded high-quality work. In particular, upper elementary, middle, and high school students offered many examples of their teachers’ high expectations as evidence of caring. For instance, at Franklin Towne Charter in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, students expressed pride in the rigor of the curriculum they were expected to master. “They [teachers] care because they could just give you easy work,” one student explained, “but instead they push you to learn tough topics in math, science, and other subjects. When you leave this school, you’re ready for college.”
