Teachers’ Beliefs about Authoritative Teaching: Response and Demand, or Response and Control?

In two studies, 254 secondary teachers completed a survey assessing beliefs about three putative factors of “authoritative teaching,” response, demand, and control. Control was positively associated with response, suggesting that teachers viewed development of relationships with students as congruent with classroom discipline. But demand was not associated with response, suggesting beliefs holding that academic rigor does not necessarily undermine relationships. Teachers apparently view authoritative teaching as combining response and control, not response and demand. Beliefs as such provide a window on classroom practices and provide a starting point for teacher educators who aim to facilitate optimal interactional styles in schools.