The Difference a Word Can Make (Part Two)

A word to remove from your classroom is can’t. Every time the word can’t is said, it is like a weight that drags everyone down. I did not allow anyone in my room to say can’t; it was one of our class rules. It was an impor- tant part of building a culture of high expectations. Anytime students began to say, “I can’t do this,” I would remind them of their strengths. This shifts the focus from the negative (what I cannot do) to the positive (what I can do).