Supply and Demand for Excellence: The Economics of Classroom Climate

By Mira Jugoo

"The most valuable of all capital is that invested in human beings."

Alfred Marshall

Every economics teacher knows that markets function best with clear rules, accurate information, and reliable enforcement. A WA classroom is no different to the markets and just as supply must meet demand to reach market equilibrium, effective teaching requires balancing what the teacher provides through—structure, expectations, support—with what students actually need: challenge, consistency, and purpose. 

When this equilibrium is achieved, learning thrives and produces exceptional results. When it breaks down, we face the educational equivalent of market failure: disruption, disengagement, and wasted potential. This article applies the economic principles that I teach daily to my students in the most important market I operate in: my classroom. 

Beyond a simple teaching method, the economic lens of supply and demand offers a strategic framework for managing classroom culture and driving high-level academic results.

Applying Climate and Character in a Y12 DP Economics classroom

WA Climate and Character checklist	Demand Factors  (What Students Need)	Supply Factors (What Teachers Provide)
Teachers have high expectations of learning behaviours	Provide clarity on expectations as students don't inherently know academic norms "What does good participation look like?" needs teaching.	Model behaviors before expecting them (e.g., how to respond to feedback, participate in discussion) Example : Getting WA students to consider the geopolitical complexity of the war in Iran and the price of oil and asking Who is benefitting? Who is losing? What are the trade-offs?"
Teachers apply consistency to managing student behaviour	The WA behavior policy is applied consistently and the students know the "price" of poor choices. This will lead to a follow up meeting, change in seating plan or a parental meeting.	The teacher provides a safe learning environment which is protected for all students.  Example: Using "No Opt Out." If a student says "I don't know," the teacher doesn't just move on and they provide a cue or ask another student for the answer, then return to the original student to have them repeat the correct logic. This ensures the student is protected from the "failure" of not knowing, turning it into a successful learning environment.
Teachers nurture self-regulated, well-prepared learners in order to maximise learning time	Implementing a positive meet and greet fosters a positive environment, which in turn encourages student buy-in.	Self-assessment routines, such as using traffic lights for gauging student confidence levels or exit tickets for comprehension, allow for immediate feedback and student reflection. Example: In the final 3 minutes, students answer one specific question with prompts such as "Write down one thing you found difficult today”
Teachers teach positive learning behaviours	Much like a stable economy, a school's “market function” relies on the consistent application of the WA behaviour policy to maintain positive learning behaviours.	By implementing the “Warm/Strict" approach in this classroom, prevents the "market" i.e. the classroom, from becoming volatile.  Example: Using non-verbal techniques such as pausing in stops mid-sentence and waiting for silence. The correction is delivered in a calm, neutral "Economy of Language" tone with no shouting or visible anger.

When all the climate and character checklist items are in place in a classroom, supply (teacher provision of structure, consistency, explanation) meets demand (student need for clarity, fairness, purpose). This results in optimal learning conditions  where time on task is maximised and behaviour "transaction costs" are minimised hence achieving the teaching equilibrium.

Further reading:

Classroom Climate and Character

Hattie, J. (2009) Visible learning: A synthesis of over 800 meta-analyses relating to achievement. London: Routledge.

Tough, P. (2012) How children succeed: Grit, curiosity, and the hidden power of character. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Peterson, C. and Seligman, M.E.P. (2004) Character strengths and virtues: A handbook and classification. New York: Oxford University Press.

Dweck, C.S. (2017) Mindset: Changing the way you think to fulfil your potential. Updated edition. London: Robinson.

Behavioral Economics and Education

Behavioral Economics and Education

Thaler, R.H. and Sunstein, C.R. (2009) Nudge: Improving decisions about health, wealth and happiness. Revised edition. London: Penguin Books.

Duckworth, A. (2016) Grit: The power of passion and perseverance. London: Vermilion.

Levitt, S.D. and Dubner, S.J. (2014) Think like a freak: How to think smarter about almost everything. London: Penguin Books.

Defining Learning at Westminster Academy

As we reflect on our Teaching and Learning practice at Westminster Academy, it is vital that we have a clear, shared definition of what we mean by learning, and that this definition aligns with our school’s unique context and values. At our Academy, we define learning as follows:

Learning is the process by which students actively acquire, consolidate and apply knowledge, skills and behaviours; it involves sustained thinking, purposeful challenge, meaningful feedback and growing independence, leading to the transformative development of the learner as a confident, responsible and curious citizen of the world.

Let’s unpack this definition:

1. Active acquisition – Learning is not passive. Students must engage: ask questions, probe ideas, try out tasks, make mistakes and refine their understanding.
   
   

2. Consolidation – It isn’t enough simply to present information: learners need time and rich opportunities to embed, rehearse and revisit knowledge so that it becomes fluent and accessible.
   
   

3. Application – Real learning means being able to use what you know and can do in different contexts: solving new problems, reasoning, transferring to unfamiliar situations.
   
   

4. Sustained thinking & purposeful challenge – Learning happens when the work demands cognitive effort: tasks need depth, complexity and the right level of stretch, neither so easy that students coast, nor so hard that they disengage.
   
   

5. Meaningful feedback – Feedback (from teacher, peers, self) is integral: but not just telling the answer. It’s guiding the next step, helping build awareness of what to do and how to improve.
   
   

6. Growing independence – Over time learners become more able to manage their own learning: set goals, monitor progress, select strategies, reflect and self‑regulate.
   
   

7. Transformative development – The outcome is more than retention of facts: students change. They become more confident, responsible, curious, self‑motivated and prepared for lifelong learning and global citizenship.

This is our definition – one that reflects the demands of our context and aligns with the ambition we hold for every student here at Westminster Academy.

How do the WA Pillars support this definition of learning?

Our definition above does not sit in isolation: it is underpinned and given shape by our WA Pillars for Teaching & Learning. These Pillars provide the structure, language and shared expectations that enable our vision for learning to become reality in classrooms across the school. Below I map how each key element of our definition is supported by the pillars.

• Active acquisition & purposeful challenge
  ‘Climate and Character’ and ‘Success for All’ emphasises challenge and high expectations – ensuring that tasks require deep thinking, that students are encouraged to stretch beyond current comfort zones, and that we avoid simply defaulting to recall tasks. This connects directly to the “active acquisition” and “sustained thinking” elements of learning.
  
  

• Consolidation and application
  The ‘Quality of Instruction’ Pillar focuses on knowledge and skills progression, emphasising that curriculum is sequenced in a coherent way and that students revisit, connect and apply previously taught material. This supports consolidation and ensures students are ready for higher‑order application.
  
  

• Meaningful feedback & dialogue
  The ‘Assess and Adapt’ Pillar emphasises feedback and responsive teaching: the need for formative assessment, timely responses to student work, peer/self‑assessment, and use of assessment tools to refine teaching. This aligns with “meaningful feedback” in our definition.
  
  

• Growing independence
  Again,‘Climate and Character’ and ‘Success for All’ underlines student agency and metacognition: students being taught how to learn, reflect on their learning, regulate their own progress, and take increasingly independent responsibility for their learning. This links directly to our “growing independence”.

By consistently aligning our classroom design, teaching strategies and student experiences with these Pillars, we make our definition of learning tangible.

What Implications Does Our Definition of Learning Have for Teaching Practices at WA?

Given the definition above and how it aligns with our WA Pillars, what does this mean for you as a teacher at Westminster Academy? Here are key implications for teaching practice across our school:

1. Intentional lesson design that balances acquisition, consolidation and application
   
   

• Plan sequences of lessons where students are not only introduced to new content but given structured time to revisit, rehearse and apply it.
  
  

• Incorporate tasks that require meaningful cognitive effort rather than low‑demand recall alone.
  
  

• Design “application” opportunities: problem solving, real‑world contexts, cross‑disciplinary links.
  
  

2. Ensuring challenge is appropriately pitched — and scaffolded
   
   

• Use prior attainment and ongoing assessment to ensure tasks stretch students but remain accessible with support.
  
  

• Employ scaffolding early on, gradually remove it as students gain fluency so independence grows.
  
  

• Monitor student thinking actively in class (through questioning, mini‑whiteboards, live feedback) so you can adapt challenge in the moment.
  
  

3. Using responsive teaching methods
   
   

• Create opportunities for immediate feedback (teacher, peer, self) and embed follow‑up actions: what will the student do next to improve?
  
  

• Reflect on student work and learning gaps at the end of lessons: adapt subsequent teaching accordingly.
  
  

• Encourage students to reflect: “What did I do well? What could I do better? What will I do next?”
  
  

4. Developing metacognitive skills and student agency
   
   

• Teach students how to learn: how to plan, monitor, evaluate their own learning, and choose strategies.
  
  

• Embed opportunities for independent work where students set their own targets, reflect, and adjust strategies.
  
  

• Foster classroom culture where mistakes are seen as part of learning and where students learn how to respond to challenge constructively.
  
  

5. Promoting wider learner development (confidence, responsibility, curiosity, citizenship)
   
   

• Incorporate tasks which develop students’ confidence (e.g., presentations, group work, pair work).
  
  

• Encourage responsibility: homework tasks that require planning, self‑checklists, peer review.
  
  

• Link learning to civic/global contexts where possible: embed opportunities for students to understand the broader implications of their learning and develop as responsible citizens.
  
  

6. Consistent use of the WA Pillars as an everyday reference point
   
   

• Use the language of the Pillars in your classroom: refer to ‘challenge’, ‘agency’, ‘feedback’, ‘knowledge progression’, ‘whole body listening’, ‘build up to scaffold removal’
  
  

• Share with students how your task connects to a WA Pillar or how the Pillar is supporting their learning journey.
  
  

• Reflect as a department or team: how are our practices across the curriculum aligning with the Pillars and hence supporting our definition of learning?
  
  

In essence: our definition of learning demands that teaching in Westminster Academy is purposeful, responsive, challenging, metacognitively aware, and wide‑ranging in its ambition for learners. It means we must consistently design and deliver lessons that do more than cover content: they must build deep understanding, encourage independence, nurture character and equip our students for a rapidly changing world.

Let this shared definition and the WA Pillars guide every lesson, every planning meeting, every piece of feedback and every conversation. In doing so we ensure that every student at Westminster Academy benefits from a coherent, powerful learning experience — one that truly transforms.