In the comment
section below, share at least one "aha" moment (evidence) and "why." Read
comments by other group members and respond to posts by at least two other
teachers.
This week I walked away with four ‘aha’s’ or maybe affirmations of what I already knew. The first was on page 66 about the importance of a nurturing supportive principal. I have had great principals and a couple really not so great ones and it makes all the difference in the world! Next, I was taken back to one of the most eye opening articles of my graduate studies on page 93 where the author discusses importance of the dignity of letting students express themselves in their own language and cultures. She says students have the right to their own identities and language. I had never really thought about what it would be like to live in a foreign country and try to read in their language, and read about their customs and not be able to hear or write in my own language. On page 101 the author discusses the importance of creating a safe classroom culture. I find that to be an on-going challenge. My final moment and probably one of the reasons I love teaching is the humor that naturally occurs.
I agree totally with you Karen. Having a supportive principal makes all the difference in the world. I felt lost at times when I didn't have much support. As far as letting students express themselves in their own language and cultures-it is a hard to nuture both a student's native language and the our language. Especially when there are cases when we do not have any native language support. I have often thought about what it would be like to live in another country. I think I would have a headache most of the time!
I loved reading that "the speech teacher and guidance counselor befriended me." (on page 63) It is so helpful to have support and encouragement from fellow professionals! And I totally agree that having supportive leadership makes a huge difference, Delcie!!!
FRE is the only school I have ever worked at so I do not know what it is like to have a non-supportive principal. I have heard horror stories and am thankful that our principal is supportive in many ways!!
Karen ~ I agree with you in so many ways! Supportive principals mean the world in education (to the parents, students and staff that work with them). You worded it perfectly "where the author discusses importance of the dignity of letting students express themselves in their own language and cultures". Those are reminders of the basic things we need to focus on.
I agree with having a supportive principal. This is my first year teaching and have a principal that has my back has made the transition so much better. I just think about my past jobs working with a preschool and a daycare and how some of my superviors wouldnt even listen to ideas that I had to better the program. Really frustrating. Im very blessed to be where I am.
The biggest aha for me was when Stephen Gordan was telling about a time when his students made him feel as he had done right by them. They knew he cared about them and respected them. A student of mine last week made me feel the same way by writing about me in a class assignment about a teacher who had influenced them. He said that I motivate him and will always be there for him. I never let him down. What an awesome feeling!
I thought about the same thing when I read about letting students express themselves in their own language and cultures. It validates who they are.
I think that the common theme through these stories is that teaching is hard work and requires a great deal of dedication. All of these teachers had to struggle through roadblocks that sometimes made them wonder about the choice of professions. However, every one of them stuck with it for the love of the students. Being a positive model for students can make a big difference. When no one else sees a student's potential, one teacher that recognizes that potential can turn a student around. I like this book because it helps me focus on why we are really teaching!!!
Kathi and Regina ~ I couldn't agree with you both anymore when it talks about letting students express themselves in their own language and cultures. That is at the very heart of my daily life!
Kathy, I think you summed it up well when you discussed the the common theme through these stories. I agree that teaching is hard work and requires us to go above and beyond. Yet, it's those rewards that keep us coming back for more day in and day out.
On the bottom of page 103, it says, “There is something very self-reflective about teaching. Every day that I teach, I learn something new about myself. I am slightly changed every time I get to know a new student.” I thought this was pretty powerful and so true! It’s amazing how much I have learned about myself and about being a teacher in such a short amount of time. It’s amazing how rewarding this profession is, and in SO many ways!
Self reflection is a powerful tool for teaching! If we take the opportunity to look back over the day and discover what helped a student and why, it helps us to be more and more effective. Reflection also helps us to discover who we are, what our gifts and strengths are, and how to use those to better help children.
I think this is very important to do. Self reflection is how we are able to grow and change in our positions. I think it's important to take into account each student we work with and stop and think.....maybe even ask them what they think about us, about how we work with them. The best thing I did in my practicum was do an end of the year survey with my students. Their comments forever changed me. It was great to hear what they thought worked and didn't work. I then had an idea of what I could continue to do and what I needed to improve on.
This may sound simplistic, but an aha moment for me was reading page 89 where Ms. Lima states "Teaching is also a revolutionary act for me because, depending on how it is done, it can determine whether a young person will have a chance at a good life or not. It has lifelong implications...." Sometimes I get caught up in the here and now, and don't stop to think about long term implications. Education is essential for finding your passion, earning a living, and feeling like you're contributing to the world around you. We should not sell ourselves short by thinking what we do really doesn't matter. It does!
There is nothing simplistic about that Stacey!! I think about that everyday. Anything I do, say or teach could have a lifelong implication on a student in one way or another.
Well said Stacey. We reallly do have a huge impact on our kiddos! Their experience in school could help or hurt them for life. We always hope that we help them of course. For some of these kids, school is the best place they can be, the safest place they can be.
There is a lot to be said for 'simplicity'! I try to remember with my students that what I say or do can change the way they see the world. The impact we make on students are immeasurable! My Kindergarten students know I want what's best for them always and I also convey that it is my job to prepare them for their futures! While that is a scarey thought in someways, it is also a humbling thought!
I agree with you Stacey! It is so easy to get caught up in the many responsibilities that we have but being able to remember that those little things can potentially make a huge impact on students, allows us to see how very important our jobs are! I admire your positive nature in all that you do Stacey-it is a pleasant reminder for me to exhibit the same passion!
I totally agree! The "Lifelong implications" are very true and sometimes can be scary that we can have such a large impact. I think it also makes me want to not only teach them life skills but also be a better person and role model for them as well!
My aha moment was with Elaine Stinson in Chapter 12. On the bottom of page 111 she was talking about a Thanksgiving project her class did on the Wampanoag and Pilgrim people. Students read several books about these people and questioned, compared, and analyzed the text. They found inconsistencies between authors, facts were left out or some included non-truths. These were non-fiction books!! What a lesson for students This one project her students were so engaged in addressed numerous reading, writing and social studies standards. When I compare this to our curriculum I have to wonder...are we doing the right things with our students to help them become the BEST that they can be. ?? I think to myself …what can I do to make our social studies this amazing? This project sounds so exciting and interesting!!!
I agree Anita, I wonder all the time am I teaching them what they need to learn? Did I make an impact? Was it too much information. I find that I can be very critical of what or how I taught a lesson. Some days I feel like I didn't accomplish anything where other days I feel like I rocked it!
I enjoyed the very first sentence on pg. 59, "One's role in the life, whether defined as a profession, a craft, or a vocation, helps people make sense of the world and of their place in it." As a social worker, I find this very true. Working with people of all ages, parents and students, trying to help them make sense of situations, environments, and the world around them. It's a tough job some days....the world can be so cruel....it's those days though, I find the kids need the most help to figure out who they are, where they are going, and what their purpose is going to be. I am thankful I get to do the work I do.
Ok Ladies, I know this is late, but I have to agree with all of you in some ways. Like most of you my two biggest aha moments were the supportive principal and having those self reflective moments every day. I truly couldnt do my job to its fullest withouth working with the people I work with and withouth wanting to learn something new everyday.
Trista, you are so right! Having a supportive principal and a school environment that allows us to grow and learn from our mistakes through self-reflection makes our job worth it.
My aha moment (or connection)came from page 88. Ms. Lima expressed that she has days when she believes that she was born to be a teacher. She walks easily through her lesson plans, produces units at light speed, and creativity oozes off her pores. Yet, there she is finding herself having those "other" days. Days were things just aren't the same. She calls them her winter blues - those times when she's had her final straw. Again, it all goes back to what Kathi was saying. Teaching is hardwork and requires dedication to perservere.
My “aha” moment was in chapter 12 and about Elaine Stinson made me think about my own elementary school experience. Ms. Stinson was painfully shy as a child, and that affected how she felt about school, and she viewed a great deal of her school experiences before becoming an educator as negative ones. I don’t necessarily feel like I had a lot of negatives, but as a military kid who moved around a great deal, I did not feel like I belonged at many of the schools I went to until we moved to Ft. Riley. And the ‘aha’ for me was the statement that she makes on page 107, that when she reflects on why she choose to become a teacher , the thing that was clear was “ I love the relationships I build with my students and their families.” I totally relate to this statement. Each year my students “become” “my kids”. They are my family and I know that I teach in a school that the majority of our population are military children and the importance of belonging to a “family” only furthers my ability to inspire them. “They don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care!” rings true. I try to put it out there for my kids that they are my concern and what I care about at school. Their learning, their understanding, their feelings, their security, are my focus every day! My students know that I have high expectations for them each and every moment of the day. I build up a relationship with them that I think makes them strive to do their best. I went to Lincoln in J. C. from 3rd grade to 6th grade, and my teachers all made me feel like I belonged to that family, so I think I invested more of myself into learning for those teachers than I did in many previous schools.
This section of the book reminded me of why I became a teacher. I believe like many of the authors in this section, that I was trying to find an identity. My Kinder/1st grade teacher was an amazing, compassionate, intelligent woman whom I had always admired. During my later years of schooling I was an average student who worked hard for average grades. I had a few exceptional teachers that conveyed a feeling of confidence in me but it was short lived. I knew that I wanted to go to college but that was difficult as well. When I reflected back on my young life, I knew I wanted to be the kind of educator that I desired as a child. I never looked back and with that motivation I have succeeded farther than I had ever imagined as an educator (and took a lot more college courses than I would have ever guessed!). I believe now that I was trying to find an identity for myself which I could be proud of and serve well. Although my journey does not appear to be as significant as some of the authors for this section, it certainly reminds me of why I do what I do; to give back to those who inspired me.
My "aha" moment or connection came when Stephen Gordon was talking about how teaching has allowed him to meet his lifelong need to feel useful and appreciated. I feel this every day. I love walking down the hallways and having students who I may have not even had in my room are saying hello or want to give me a big hug. It makes me feel like I belong and that I am loved. Who doesn't need that? I think sometimes we forget as teachers how MUCH we are needed and appreciated. Those are the moments that keep me going on those long days or get through those long stacks of paper I need to grade. I too, like Stephen, get to feel the joy and privilege of being a teacher.
This week I walked away with four ‘aha’s’ or maybe affirmations of what I already knew. The first was on page 66 about the importance of a nurturing supportive principal. I have had great principals and a couple really not so great ones and it makes all the difference in the world! Next, I was taken back to one of the most eye opening articles of my graduate studies on page 93 where the author discusses importance of the dignity of letting students express themselves in their own language and cultures. She says students have the right to their own identities and language. I had never really thought about what it would be like to live in a foreign country and try to read in their language, and read about their customs and not be able to hear or write in my own language. On page 101 the author discusses the importance of creating a safe classroom culture. I find that to be an on-going challenge. My final moment and probably one of the reasons I love teaching is the humor that naturally occurs.
ReplyDeleteI agree totally with you Karen. Having a supportive principal makes all the difference in the world. I felt lost at times when I didn't have much support. As far as letting students express themselves in their own language and cultures-it is a hard to nuture both a student's native language and the our language. Especially when there are cases when we do not have any native language support. I have often thought about what it would be like to live in another country. I think I would have a headache most of the time!
DeleteI loved reading that "the speech teacher and guidance counselor befriended me." (on page 63) It is so helpful to have support and encouragement from fellow professionals! And I totally agree that having supportive leadership makes a huge difference, Delcie!!!
DeleteFRE is the only school I have ever worked at so I do not know what it is like to have a non-supportive principal. I have heard horror stories and am thankful that our principal is supportive in many ways!!
DeleteKaren ~ I agree with you in so many ways! Supportive principals mean the world in education (to the parents, students and staff that work with them). You worded it perfectly "where the author discusses importance of the dignity of letting students express themselves in their own language and cultures". Those are reminders of the basic things we need to focus on.
DeleteI agree with having a supportive principal. This is my first year teaching and have a principal that has my back has made the transition so much better. I just think about my past jobs working with a preschool and a daycare and how some of my superviors wouldnt even listen to ideas that I had to better the program. Really frustrating. Im very blessed to be where I am.
DeleteThe biggest aha for me was when Stephen Gordan was telling about a time when his students made him feel as he had done right by them. They knew he cared about them and respected them. A student of mine last week made me feel the same way by writing about me in a class assignment about a teacher who had influenced them. He said that I motivate him and will always be there for him. I never let him down. What an awesome feeling!
ReplyDeleteI thought about the same thing when I read about letting students express themselves in their own language and cultures. It validates who they are.
ReplyDeleteI think that the common theme through these stories is that teaching is hard work and requires a great deal of dedication. All of these teachers had to struggle through roadblocks that sometimes made them wonder about the choice of professions. However, every one of them stuck with it for the love of the students. Being a positive model for students can make a big difference. When no one else sees a student's potential, one teacher that recognizes that potential can turn a student around. I like this book because it helps me focus on why we are really teaching!!!
Kathi, I couldn't agree more! I know I am just beginning, but I hope I never lose sight of the reasons I do this and why I love it!
DeleteKathi and Regina ~ I couldn't agree with you both anymore when it talks about letting students express themselves in their own language and cultures. That is at the very heart of my daily life!
DeleteKathy, I think you summed it up well when you discussed the the common theme through these stories. I agree that teaching is hard work and requires us to go above and beyond. Yet, it's those rewards that keep us coming back for more day in and day out.
DeleteOn the bottom of page 103, it says, “There is something very self-reflective about teaching. Every day that I teach, I learn something new about myself. I am slightly changed every time I get to know a new student.” I thought this was pretty powerful and so true! It’s amazing how much I have learned about myself and about being a teacher in such a short amount of time. It’s amazing how rewarding this profession is, and in SO many ways!
ReplyDeleteSelf reflection is a powerful tool for teaching! If we take the opportunity to look back over the day and discover what helped a student and why, it helps us to be more and more effective. Reflection also helps us to discover who we are, what our gifts and strengths are, and how to use those to better help children.
DeleteI think this is very important to do. Self reflection is how we are able to grow and change in our positions. I think it's important to take into account each student we work with and stop and think.....maybe even ask them what they think about us, about how we work with them. The best thing I did in my practicum was do an end of the year survey with my students. Their comments forever changed me. It was great to hear what they thought worked and didn't work. I then had an idea of what I could continue to do and what I needed to improve on.
DeleteOMG Regina I soooo agree. Every day is brand new and I never leave without thinking "gosh I cant believe I learned that". My job truly amazes me!
DeleteThis may sound simplistic, but an aha moment for me was reading page 89 where Ms. Lima states "Teaching is also a revolutionary act for me because, depending on how it is done, it can determine whether a young person will have a chance at a good life or not. It has lifelong implications...." Sometimes I get caught up in the here and now, and don't stop to think about long term implications. Education is essential for finding your passion, earning a living, and feeling like you're contributing to the world around you. We should not sell ourselves short by thinking what we do really doesn't matter. It does!
ReplyDeleteThere is nothing simplistic about that Stacey!! I think about that everyday. Anything I do, say or teach could have a lifelong implication on a student in one way or another.
DeleteWell said Stacey. We reallly do have a huge impact on our kiddos! Their experience in school could help or hurt them for life. We always hope that we help them of course. For some of these kids, school is the best place they can be, the safest place they can be.
DeleteThere is a lot to be said for 'simplicity'! I try to remember with my students that what I say or do can change the way they see the world. The impact we make on students are immeasurable! My Kindergarten students know I want what's best for them always and I also convey that it is my job to prepare them for their futures! While that is a scarey thought in someways, it is also a humbling thought!
DeleteI agree with you Stacey! It is so easy to get caught up in the many responsibilities that we have but being able to remember that those little things can potentially make a huge impact on students, allows us to see how very important our jobs are! I admire your positive nature in all that you do Stacey-it is a pleasant reminder for me to exhibit the same passion!
DeleteI totally agree! The "Lifelong implications" are very true and sometimes can be scary that we can have such a large impact. I think it also makes me want to not only teach them life skills but also be a better person and role model for them as well!
DeleteMy aha moment was with Elaine Stinson in Chapter 12. On the bottom of page 111 she was talking about a Thanksgiving project her class did on the Wampanoag and Pilgrim people. Students read several books about these people and questioned, compared, and analyzed the text. They found inconsistencies between authors, facts were left out or some included non-truths. These were non-fiction books!! What a lesson for students This one project her students were so engaged in addressed numerous reading, writing and social studies standards. When I compare this to our curriculum I have to wonder...are we doing the right things with our students to help them become the BEST that they can be. ?? I think to myself …what can I do to make our social studies this amazing? This project sounds so exciting and interesting!!!
ReplyDeleteI agree Anita, I wonder all the time am I teaching them what they need to learn? Did I make an impact? Was it too much information. I find that I can be very critical of what or how I taught a lesson. Some days I feel like I didn't accomplish anything where other days I feel like I rocked it!
DeleteI enjoyed the very first sentence on pg. 59, "One's role in the life, whether defined as a profession, a craft, or a vocation, helps people make sense of the world and of their place in it." As a social worker, I find this very true. Working with people of all ages, parents and students, trying to help them make sense of situations, environments, and the world around them. It's a tough job some days....the world can be so cruel....it's those days though, I find the kids need the most help to figure out who they are, where they are going, and what their purpose is going to be. I am thankful I get to do the work I do.
ReplyDeleteOk Ladies, I know this is late, but I have to agree with all of you in some ways. Like most of you my two biggest aha moments were the supportive principal and having those self reflective moments every day. I truly couldnt do my job to its fullest withouth working with the people I work with and withouth wanting to learn something new everyday.
ReplyDeleteTrista, you are so right! Having a supportive principal and a school environment that allows us to grow and learn from our mistakes through self-reflection makes our job worth it.
DeleteMy aha moment (or connection)came from page 88. Ms. Lima expressed that she has days when she believes that she was born to be a teacher. She walks easily through her lesson plans, produces units at light speed, and creativity oozes off her pores. Yet, there she is finding herself having those "other" days. Days were things just aren't the same. She calls them her winter blues - those times when she's had her final straw. Again, it all goes back to what Kathi was saying. Teaching is hardwork and requires dedication to perservere.
ReplyDeleteMy “aha” moment was in chapter 12 and about Elaine Stinson made me think about my own elementary school experience. Ms. Stinson was painfully shy as a child, and that affected how she felt about school, and she viewed a great deal of her school experiences before becoming an educator as negative ones. I don’t necessarily feel like I had a lot of negatives, but as a military kid who moved around a great deal, I did not feel like I belonged at many of the schools I went to until we moved to Ft. Riley. And the ‘aha’ for me was the statement that she makes on page 107, that when she reflects on why she choose to become a teacher , the thing that was clear was “ I love the relationships I build with my students and their families.” I totally relate to this statement. Each year my students “become” “my kids”. They are my family and I know that I teach in a school that the majority of our population are military children and the importance of belonging to a “family” only furthers my ability to inspire them. “They don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care!” rings true. I try to put it out there for my kids that they are my concern and what I care about at school. Their learning, their understanding, their feelings, their security, are my focus every day! My students know that I have high expectations for them each and every moment of the day. I build up a relationship with them that I think makes them strive to do their best. I went to Lincoln in J. C. from 3rd grade to 6th grade, and my teachers all made me feel like I belonged to that family, so I think I invested more of myself into learning for those teachers than I did in many previous schools.
ReplyDeleteThis section of the book reminded me of why I became a teacher. I believe like many of the authors in this section, that I was trying to find an identity. My Kinder/1st grade teacher was an amazing, compassionate, intelligent woman whom I had always admired. During my later years of schooling I was an average student who worked hard for average grades. I had a few exceptional teachers that conveyed a feeling of confidence in me but it was short lived. I knew that I wanted to go to college but that was difficult as well. When I reflected back on my young life, I knew I wanted to be the kind of educator that I desired as a child. I never looked back and with that motivation I have succeeded farther than I had ever imagined as an educator (and took a lot more college courses than I would have ever guessed!). I believe now that I was trying to find an identity for myself which I could be proud of and serve well. Although my journey does not appear to be as significant as some of the authors for this section, it certainly reminds me of why I do what I do; to give back to those who inspired me.
ReplyDeleteMy "aha" moment or connection came when Stephen Gordon was talking about how teaching has allowed him to meet his lifelong need to feel useful and appreciated. I feel this every day. I love walking down the hallways and having students who I may have not even had in my room are saying hello or want to give me a big hug. It makes me feel like I belong and that I am loved. Who doesn't need that? I think sometimes we forget as teachers how MUCH we are needed and appreciated. Those are the moments that keep me going on those long days or get through those long stacks of paper I need to grade. I too, like Stephen, get to feel the joy and privilege of being a teacher.
ReplyDelete