Week 40 - The Gardener

"You take people as far as they will go, not as far as you would like them to go" - Jeannette Rankin

Susan learned long ago that not every child will achieve on grade level. Teaching severely learning disabled middle-schoolers gave her a chance to take students far, just not as far as the state was hoping for. By the time students had gotten to her, their fourth-grade reading level was probably as high as they were going to go. Instead of looking to see how well they scored on the standardized tests, Susan concentrated on individual skills and learning strategies. She knew they could improve, but she wasn't going to disappoint herself and her students by expecting more than they could give.

"Aren't you being defeatist?" her intern asked.

"Not at all," Susan said. "I've just learned that it doesn't matter how lovingly you plant a seed, nor does it matter how rich the soil is or how well it is watered and fed; some grow only as tall as we imagined they would."

"Doesn't that disappoint you?"

"It used to. But now I've learned to see the beauty of each one, no matter how tall it grows or how glorious it blossoms," Susan said. She knew her intern didn't understand this flowery talk. But she knew that those who don't achieve as we hope are not weeds to be plucked out so the garden looks perfect. If you've ever tried to transplant a weed, you know that it doesn't survive. It grows stronger if allowed to stay right where it is.''

Set your students up for success by setting realistic expectations for them.

Prompt: How does my attitude compare to the one portrayed?