Fulfilling the Promise of the Differentiated Classroom chpt. 1/2

I loved when the book describes a teacher in a differentiated classroom as someone who attends to student emotion or feelings. It shows me that a teacher isn't just an educator; a teacher is a friend and a mentor, someone who their students will turn to when they need help or advice. I want to be that teacher that really makes a difference in their students' lives. I want my students to learn the curriculum from me, but I also want them to learn patience, understanding, friendship, and dedication in my classroom. I believe the only way they will learn that is if we practice all those traits every day. When talking about the classroom elements involved in a differentiated classroom, I felt really inspired when the book said the learning environment is the "weather" that affects everything that transpires in the classroom. We as teachers set the mood of the classroom. Students can be excited to come to class because they know it will be a safe environment where friends are made, learning is fun, and success is celebrated. Students can also feel the complete opposite about a classroom setting. That mood is completely dependent upon me as the teacher. As I read the fox and the prince story, I agree that it is so important that both are teachers and both are learners. That is how a classroom should be run! Everyone leaves at the end of the day a better and smarter person. I liked the second chapter and the way we need to look at the individual student. People learn and understand things differently. We need to know our students well enough to know how they learn so we can teach them in the best way possible. It may be difficult and at times may feel impossible, but just as the book says, teaching asks us to do the impossible. If I work hard and really dedicate myself to the task, I will eventually have a successful differentiated classroom.