To set high expectations for diverse student needs: Individualized Goals: Understand each student's strengths and challenges, tailoring achievable yet ambitious goals to encourage growth. Supportive Environment: Provide resources, encouragement, and scaffolding to ensure every student feels capable of reaching high standards. Balancing challenge with support empowers students to excel.

Create a space where your students feel understood and welcome. Set norms of respect. Provide learning aids. Create an environment that gives students space to make mistakes as they learn. Encourage student voice. Offer multiple forms of assessments.

Knowing the children in your class is paramount. If you know them and understand what motivates them and supports them, then half of the battle is won. Helping the children to know/understand that they don’t all learn in the same way but that everyone has strengths and can contribute,help and support one another is also a good way to create a learning environment where children are willing to take risks and contribute. Having said that, making sure you have a zero tolerance policy to laughing at an answer to a question - unless intentionally funny - is very important. All of this contributes to differentiation, before you even begin to consider learning objectives and intended outcomes.

It’s important to make clear from the start what is expected of students and ensure they know they can achieve it with effort. Objectives should be engaging but attainable. Get to know your students, motivate them, and make them feel they can rely on their teacher. Crucially, lead by example with organization and enthusiasm, and provide resources and support so no one falls behind. Also, celebrate their achievements, no matter how small, and encourage them to reflect on their learning to keep improving.