When I teach....

My first job is to create a learning environment that students enjoy. I love learning something new, so education has always fun for me, except when I was learning nothing. Boredom is painful, so I work hard to avoid it. I don't want to receive it, nor inflict it on others. Once I find out what a student enjoys, what he or she enjoys, whether content or activity or energy, becomes part of our interaction.

My second job is to set high expectations for student achievement. I ...