Here's something I've noticed about teaching after years in the classroom. The best classrooms are warm and supportive but also focused on the subject matter. On the other hand, the worst classrooms have an overabundance of verbal praise and self-esteem talk. The best teachers I've had were respectful to their students but demanded hard work. Too much praise encourages students to be satisfied with their performance rather than informing them about where they might need improvement. The most effective teachers were not just excellent communicators of the subject matter but motivators to encourage students to be the best they can possibly be. We must cease listening to the siren call that learning is primarily affective without a certain amount of eternal incentive. High-expectation language should be a norm among teachers.