Fulfilling the Promise Ch. 5-6

The beginning of chapter 5 had a really interesting point of view about teaching. The author talks about her algebra teacher and her German teacher. When talking about her algebra teacher she said. "that teacher knew her curriculum. She instructed with a bulldog-like intensity (I love that description by the way! I think we can all name at least one teacher in our lives that taught with a "bulldog-like" intensity). She taught algebra. But she did not teach me" (pg 57). I think that is an important distinction to make. ALL teachers teach. Everyone can teach something, but not everyone can teach someone. After talking about her German teacher Tomlinson says, "The difference was that the first teacher taught algebra. The second teacher taught me German" (pg 58). That is the key right there to tying curriculum into differentiation, we can all teach the material at the students, but it is the memorable teachers that teach the curriculum to the students.
One good point that was made in chapter 6 was about student work ethic. I think it is easy for teachers to see the lack of success in their students and blame themselves for their failures. The students must understand that knowledge is not a passive accomplishment. Just with anything in life there is a great need for a strong work ethic. Especially with kids who think that the "smart kids" have everything come easy to them, we have to remind them that they struggled too to learn what they have learned. Students must be goal oriented and tenacious to get what they want. They are not entitled to anything without effort. I think especially in today's world, some kids get that message some how. As educators we have to help them understand the importance of effort for success.