"The Simple, Hard Truth About Teaching"

There is always a truth to everything, and it can be easy to hear, or it can be hard to hear. I want you to be the judge for what I am about to say...Teachers are going to accept responsibility for students whom they genuinely care. 

"Those of us lucky enough to make connections with students once or twice or three times know this to be true, because its truth shaped our lives forever. those of us who live our professional lives in classrooms know this to be true because of our observation of classrooms that captivate and extend the capacities of each student in them." -Carol Ann Tomlinson

James Stronge defines effectiveness as creating a positive effect on student achievement as well as other important outcomes that have positive and lasting effects on the lives of students. 

Teachers are going to strive to create a positive effect on students achievement, and want to create that lasting effect on students lives. However, this may not happen to every single student that comes our way. Teachers will always hope and try for that one student that helps us see that we can create a positive effect. 

In the past I have talked about having a teachers toolbox, and I would like to open it for just a moment. There are some other tools that I have talked about that I would like to add to this. 

In this tool box we have two main tools, Curriculum and Instruction. We also have 5 tools that help our curriculum and instruction work: Importance, Focused, Engaging, Demanding, and Scaffolding. Now, there are some other tools I would like to add to our toolbox, and we have talked about them previously. I would like to add Challenge,Affirmation, Contribution, Power, Purpose, and Challenge.

These five tools are the tools teachers use to successfully give the students what they need and what they seek. 

I would also like to add 5 more, Investment, Persistence, Opportunity, Reflection, and Invitation. 

These tools here are how we as teachers can respond to what the children need and seek. 

By using all of these tools, we can differentiate inside the classroom, and can be successful in making connections in one or two or three students.