No concept is more central to the work of teachers than the concept of growth. Educators use many different terms to describe cognitive, affective and personal growth, including 'learning', 'development', 'progress' and 'improvement'. However we describe it, the concept of individual growth lies at the heart of teachers' work as a profession. Closely linked to the concept of individual growth is teachers' fundamental belief that all learners are capable of progressing beyond their current levels of attainment.