As I write this post in the middle of summer, teachers everywhere are enjoying a well-deserved break with their families. Beach days. Barbeques. Pool parties. Not having to set the alarm clock. Ahhh, gotta love summer! But in a few weeks, life will return to schools around the country as teachers head back to their classrooms to prepare for the 2014-2015 school year.

In one more week, I too will head back to work to get things rolling. As I think about starting a new school year, I was reminded of the summer before what turned out to be my last year in the classroom before moving into administration. Toward the end of that summer, when I finished setting up my classroom, I tried something I'd never done before. I put in a little extra effort with the hope it would benefit my students. What did I do? Find out by watching the short video below. The entire "What I've Learned" video series can be found on my website here or on YouTube.

"Am I making a difference in the lives of my students?"
"Am I getting through to him/her?"

These are questions all educators ask themselves (or at least should), and I think it's common for teachers to wonder whether they're reaching those hard-to-reach students.

In this fifth story from my "What I've Learned" video series, I share an example of how teachers can have a powerful impact on every student, even when they don't realize it.

If you haven't yet watched the first four videos in the series, you can do so by visiting the "What I've Learned" page. If you've already seen them, I welcome your feedback.