Claude Bissell said:

Risk more than others think is safe. Care more than others think is wise. Dream more than others think is practical. Expect more than others think is possible.

I know this because I recently purchased a plaque for my wife that had that saying on it. Figured it would be a great decoration on her desk. She’s now a special education teacher. So I thought the quote was quite appropriate when I saw it. That last part is especially important: “Expect more than others think is possible.”

Isn’t that what we should do as teachers? We should always expect the best from our students. And when I say that, I don’t mean they should always get 100s on their tests. What I mean is we should always expect them to do THEIR best. And we should always push them to do better. This means EVERY student. We should never give up on our students. We should never say, “Well, he’s got [insert disorder here] so he’ll never be able to [insert activity or goal here].” There are students with disabilities that have surpassed any expectations that were put on them because people believed in them and expected the best from them. What about those people without arms who paint beautiful paintings with their feet? What about the blind people who can navigate a room better than most sighted people? What about deaf people who can see things we never could see?

Students can and will meet our expectations with the right tools and dedication. So if we set those expectations low, then can we be surprised when they meet them and go no further? And those labels should have absolutely no bearing on us expecting their best. None. Nada. Zip.

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