Too many children have already had enough experience with school to be convinced that they will never succeed.   They may not have learned to read or to write or to do arithmetic  effectively, but they have learned that no matter how hard they try, their efforts will never be good enough–to please their teachers, to make their parents proud, or to satisfy themselves.

In many instances, bright and capable children are going to do poorly and feel like failures  again this year simply because  they learn differently or face significant learning challenges.  Teachers and parents need to be wary of  telling any learner that he or she only needs to try harder in order to succeed.

The good news is that we can offer curricular supports and tools to help more children learn effectively than ever before.  I write this blog because so many wonderful free tools and resources are now readily available.  Not even a lack of money needs to be a barrier to effective learning for any learner, at least not in the North American schools where I work!

Here are two thought provoking videos that I’d really like you to watch and think about.  Then let’s  each do our part to support EVERY learner!  Every learner is gifted, and every learner has special needs.  Each learner is unique.  Each of the individuals in the second video struggled with school but has made a major contribution.