Students do their best work when they feel they belong in the room and that you expect them to succeed. Small things build that climate: learning names, being approachable, answering questions without judgment, and telling students plainly that struggle is part of learning and that help is available.

Pair high expectations with real support. Tell students you hold a high standard and that you are confident they can reach it with effort and the resources you provide. That combination, demanding and supportive at once, tends to raise effort and performance across a class more than either warmth or rigor alone.