I recently grabbed lunch at Panera Bread. As I looked at my receipt, I couldn’t help but notice, right there at the top, “Accuracy matters. If your order is not right, please let a manager know.” Since then, I’ve pondered this idea of accuracy and come to realize that perhaps when we teach our students how important accuracy is in reading and math, we’re also instilling in them a principle that is important in every other aspect of life.

If my order hadn’t been accurate that day at Panera Bread, I might have decided to take my business elsewhere in the future. Accuracy matters.

If I am making a recipe and don’t measure correctly, the dish could be ruined. Accuracy matters.

If a football player over- or under-throws the ball, his teammate could miss the catch and thus miss the chance to make a touchdown. Accuracy matters!

When students are reading accuracy matters, let’s remind them that it isn’t a priority just in the classroom but will make a difference their whole life long.