Carol Ann Tomlinson on Teachers Who Make a Difference

(Originally titled “Teachers Who Stare Down Poverty”)

In this thoughtful article in Educational Leadership, differentiation guru Carol Ann Tomlinson describes how some remarkable teachers succeed with the children of poverty:

• Believe – These educators “accept as a given that there are few limits on what individuals can accomplish through hard, savvy work,” says Tomlinson.

• Respect – They “[s]ee richness in the lives, experiences, and cultures of youth they mentor.” 

• Connect – They embrace a young person’s worth, even when the child pushes them away.

• Stretch horizons – They orchestrate experiences that expand the child’s sense of possibility – a computer camp, a play, a choir.

• Set targets – “Goal-setting and planning are learned skills crucial to success in almost any area,” says Tomlinson. “Educators who stare down poverty don’t assume students come equipped with those skills.”

• Build skills – These might include reading, writing, public speaking, applying for college, being assertive.

• Live in two worlds – “Often the invitation to build a dream is an invitation to move into a different circle of life,” says Tomlinson. “Teachers must help young people become bicultural… and deal with the accompanying emotional tensions.”

• Build networks – “It’s lonely to have aspirations that set you apart from friends,” she says. Effective teachers connect students with like-minded peers and supportive adults. 

• Hang in there – “These mentor-educators accept that the students whom they champion at age 10 will still need their support at 16,” Tomlinson concludes. “When failures happen, they help the student refocus, regroup, and restart.” 

“Teachers Who Stare Down Poverty” by Carol Ann Tomlinson in Educational Leadership, May 2013 (Vol. 70, #8, p. 88-89), www.ascd.org; Tomlinson can be reached at 

cat3y@virginia.edu. 

From the Marshall Memo #484