(Teacher) 1 2 3 all eyes on me!

(Response) 1 2 all eyes on you!

Now that I have your attention, I want to ask you a question. Have you ever put together a puzzle? No matter what kind it is, or how many pieces there are, all puzzles have something in common – several pieces, of varying shapes, that fit together to make a complete picture.

So what is often helpful when you want to put the puzzle together? Yes, an image of what the completed piece should look like.

As a teacher, I know what my final (student) picture will look like – a confident individual who is willing to give his/her best in attaining mastery of content presented.

I know, just like puzzles, that every picture will look slightly different. The linking of the pieces – what the student arrives with, parental/community support, my instructional practices – will determine a successful outcome.

As with any puzzle, a good teacher must analyse the pieces. Carefully turning each over to examine the edges helps to determine the logical place where it should fit. Pre assessments and diagnostic tests are used at the beginning of the school year to see where students fit in the academic schemes of any classroom – an important step in helping each student prepare for an interesting and productive life.

Sometimes fitting the puzzle requires trying out different angles before the "right fit" is achieved. Exposing students to a variety of experiences will help them to define their role in the classroom, and to a larger extent, in the wider community. Once a student knows his strengths, he will excel and be prepared to work on any deficits that may impede his/her success.

And as with some puzzles, it can take a long time – I mean, a really long time! Given that we only have students for 200 days a year, sometimes that is not enough time. But that doesn't mean that something cannot be achieved in those 200 days. Even if the picture is not completed, there will have been a start.

So to all my fellow colleagues: "Do as much as you can in the time you can!"