I had some teaching experience in the past, so I know how it can be tricky to meet the lesson goals and keep it engaging and fun. You need to have a backup plan if the lesson plan doesn't go as expected. Some kids struggle with sustained attention and some struggle with transition, whether the transition is too fast, or it distracts them. Those are not excuses nor reasons; these are structural issues that can not always be addressed/ are known before the school year starts. However, with team collaboration and school support, most teachers provide engaging and meaningful learning to their students despite the structural issues. We should acknowledge the teacher's obstacles and, at the same time, help them to work around those issues. 

From my observations in classes, fun is important, but when the teacher connects to the student and the student's interests - the lesson becomes exciting. You can see the students' eyes light up. 

During the Meet the Author session on Friday, the author repeated his suggestion mentioned in his book about what to do if someone did not read the chapter: be the first to participate when asked about opinion. I wonder if this "definitely not educational" trick came from the author's need to help those who are not "good students" more than him giving us advice on avoiding a learning task. I have observed students who cannot read the assigned text participate when the teacher connected the text to their everyday knowledge. I don't think they did that on purpose, to mislead the teacher about their reading ability. Most of the time, the students seemed grateful for the opportunity to share their knowledge and engage in class despite their disabilities. It also seems to make them more attentive to the lesson.

In no particular order: Safety, Acceptance, Positivity, Trust, and Engagement 

Words about the culture of my classroom include
Respect, openness, risk taking, kindness, and community.