Chapters 3 & 4

2. Share 3 (three) exact quotes that are meaningful to you (from across these two chapters), and explain why they matter to you.

"If, as a teacher, my belief in you is unerring, and if I accord you the full dignity due human beings, I will do all I can to ensure that you will become all you should be"

I really like this quote from the book because it says all that a teacher does and should do. We are responsible over a group of students. Why shouldn't we take the time to entrust our knowledge with them and help them become the leaders of tomorrow. To me it is almost an honor that students trust us enough to allow us to be part of their lives. Because of this we have the job of making them the best that they can be.

"Invested teachers are personally engaged in what they ask the students to do. That is, invested teachers work hard at learning, spend free time in pursuit of knowledge, think and puzzle over problems, and get excited about ideas."

We have to be just as engaged in learning as they are. With out that then no student would really want to learn. They learn to love knowledge and the gaining of it by example. Who better to help them than the teacher in the classroom. We need to be invested in their lives not just our own.

"By accepting every student's need for affirmation, contribution, power, purpose, and challenge, the teacher intends to provide invitation and opportunity for each student through investment, persistence, and reflection. There is now a line of logic to govern the teacher's thought and action."

I believe that this is true once we recognize and acknowledge students needs we as teachers are then able to help them better. But if we continue to just teach students the same way it has been done for years than they can never progress to be the best they can be. It is logical to think and act the way that can best help our students.

Reflecting on Sylvia Allan's Visit

Reflect on what you learned about creating community in your classroom from our visitor, Sylvia Allan

I loved having Sylvia Allan come and visit with us. It allowed me to see and hear the different blessings that you can gain from spending just a couple of minutes a day with your students. Having community in your classroom is a necessary thing. Without it you could well spend a lot of time worrying about management and what needs to be done. I really liked how she said that we "should never sit at our desks and do work during morning meeting." I can't imagine sitting behind a desk doing work instead of spending good quality time with students. Morning meetings like she said once we get them started aren't very hard. They allow students to get to know different sides of each other and learn to respect those differences and similarities.

"we are better at reaching children today than yesterday, better at it this year than last"

2d. On page 22, Tomlinson says, “The truth is, we will never really do all each child needs us to do.” Later on this page she says, “The point is not to entertain guilt. The point is to relentlessly seize the remarkable opportunity of a teacher to shape lives – to do the best we can to ensure that we are better at reaching children today than yesterday, better at it this year than last.”

Isn't this the sad truth of life as a teachers. We try so hard and are taught to look at the individual students needs. Yet sometimes we aren't able to do that like we would like or wish to. With classroom sizes going up each year the most we as teachers can do is do our best. We can not try. If we try we will most likely fail. Because of that we must act and do something. But as each of us act and teach our students with love and kindness we will be able to reach them and teach them the best that we possibly can and, through this we will be able to touch more students lives as Tomlinson says. Each year, week, and day is an opportunity to touch a students life. Each of us must go out and do our best to help shape the future of tomorrow.

What do you see?

As you look at the field of flowers often the first reaction is, "The hillside is colored with beautiful flowers." Next you might note the yellow, red, lavender, and marvel at how the colors added to the palate a richness that would be lost if all were one color. If you step closer, you will notice that the shape of the petals and foliage may vary for flowers of the same color. But, when you have watched the flowers in that same field over time, you will note stems that now bear seeds and others just bearing buds and the promise of new flowers.

Think about this field of wildflowers as a metaphor for a classroom of children. How does your perspective of the picture change as you look for the uniqueness?

Isn't it true about a each classroom that we are all so very different. To say that everyone was going to be like myself would be a very scary thought. but to have all the different shapes and sizes and colors makes teaching the joy that it is. People add spark to each of our lives. When you look at the picture you start to see a flower that could be a child's laugh or a child's beauty hiding in the background waiting to shine. As you find the uniqueness you are able to find the needs of each child and make your classroom better every day.

“teachers who are willing to establish ties with students discover new depths of truth each day...”

1a. On page 10 of this reading assignment, Tomlinson states that “teachers who are willing to establish ties with students discover new depths of truth each day...” What does this mean to you?

To me this means that as teachers we need to take the time to know and understand our students. By doing this we gain great knowledge from them. Each student has different memories and needs. They can teach so many things that we our selves would never think of. Also students wont tell you what is wrong with there lives if they don't have a connection with you. I mean honestly why would they tell us deep dark secrets if they didn't really know us or feel that we cared about them. I don't normally tell people that I don't know very well my secrets and why should we think our students will.

As we become closer to our students we will gain such a unity in the classroom that they will feel comfortable share things and trying new ideas. Because of this our classrooms will have new depths to them.