As teachers we get many opportunities to work with students of varying ability level and with different strengths and weaknesses. Early in my career it was tempting to lower expectations for students that struggled or had disabilities. Over the years I have realized that it is not my job to lower expectations, but to support students and provide them with the tools to succeed. Sometimes that does require modifications, but more often it requires better teaching. The student who wrote this note had multiple disabilities that created a barrier to her accessing materials and expressing what she knew. I had to learn new strategies and find different supports for her than I was used to, but this note shyly handed to me at the end of year reminded me that it does matter and I need to focus on how I can be a better teacher to draw out student strengths and give them tools to overcome their weaknesses. It might be the the most rewarding thank you I have received in my career.
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