Two of my favourite words:

Stretch and resilience. When I teach, there always needs to be a level of stretch. This encourages children to step outside their comfort zones. Stretch will test the resilience of each child. Sadly, too often than not, students react negatively to such experiences. They will push their work away and resort to other forms of engagement – a casual conversation with their neighbour or a mind drift to what they’re going to do after school. However, our resolve as educators should always be to challenge this behaviour. Stretch is what causes us to develop. I like to think of it using Lewis Hamilton as a case in point. It’s quite possible that I’ve spent as many hours behind the wheel as he has. Yet, Hamilton drives with purposeful practice. This is why he is able to race at blistering speeds and gain thousandths of seconds on his competitors. Every session he has on the track, he pushes himself. This is why he is top of his game. Why not our children? Challenge them to take that responsibility, to rise to the challenges of their education and be the best of who they are.