Imagination Sparkles

I recently read the article  "You Shouldn't Have to be a Superhero to Teach" by Andrew Carter.  Mr. Carter is a principal at a Junior High and the chair of a teacher training program.  I was captivated by the title of the article and it is definitely concise enough for anyone to read in just a few minutes, but as good writing will do, it will make you think for days after.  So I must ask the question, is Mr. Carter's thesis that one should not have to have superhuman qualities apply to today's educators?  Is this the environment those of us int he profession are expected to uphold?  Was that the impression you were given in your teacher prep programs?  Parents, I am the most curious to hear your thoughts on this...comment below.  Photo from tes, 2016, https://www.tes.com/us/news/breaking-views/you-shouldnt-have-be-a-superhero-teach 

I recently have read several articles and blogs on the idea of whether you call kids smart and how a label or that label can effect them.  So I have to ask, in your classroom do you use that word?  Before I read this question I hadn't thought about it specifically, but I realized upon reflection it is not a comment I use with my students.  I'd like to sound all advanced and say it was because I had already thought through the problem of what happens to kids and what does a kid think when they make a mistake or are wrong.  Perhaps my lack of calling kids smart came from being labeled that at a very young age and starting in gifted classes before they were available to the rest of the school.  Perhaps that's why I understand some of the challenges explained in this article.  Perhaps also the teachers or parents calling kids smart aren't doing anything wrong, what if they are using these words and also creating a culture that values learning, mistakes, and ch...