many successes and a few failures that I experienced during my years of teaching. While it is a book that offers teaching ideas, it is more than that. When I hesitated to have this book published, fearing it was not good enough, my brother wrote, "I think you are missing the real beauty and power of your missive. Sometimes when you are among trees, you do not see the majesty of the forest." My hope is that readers will see the beauty and power of children who shine and stretch regardless of their circumstances and the part I played in allowing this to happen.