Please continue to read the text (if you have not already went ahead).
Pay close attention to:
- Section 18 Thanks To You (page 55)--quite a tribute to you as an educator
- Section 20 Humor Homework (pg. 61)-- some great ideas to possibly implement as part of your final project.
- Section 21 Play Sheet--Ways to influence your classroom and school environment
Please post AHAS and thoughts from these sections.
3 comments:
"Thanks To You" was a great part of the book, and I remember reading it and thinking that I wish I had teachers like that growing up. It's amazing how an educator can make such a difference in a life. Today I actually received a thank you letter from one of the parents that I work with and it really made my day. It made me want to work that much harder with this student. In "Humor Homework", I've actually used this section in my final homework with dressing up as a special character. I love to act and perform for people so this would be a great asset to my classroom and class. A great AHA moment came while reading section 21. I recently was at work and a substitute was in the room that I work in, and it wasn't going the greatest and I think the sub knew that she was failing with transitions from subject to subject and keeping the kindergarten students on task. The funny thing is, the kids were having a riot because the teacher was funny and was telling knock knock jokes. I heard the students say that they wish they could have her for their teacher all the time because she was fun. It was interesting to see how the students responded to two different teaching styles.
Well first of all, "Thanks to You" really makes you think. I thought I would love to be a teacher that touches the life of one or more students that I come in contact with. And then I thought I don't really have a teacher like that to write a letter to. There might be one possibility, but I can't say he changed my life. Unfortunately,I can think of more negative experiences than positive. My daughter had had many positive experiences and my son not so many. That just goes to show that teachers do make a difference in a child's attitude towards learning.
In "Humor Homework" I realize I've done some of it already. I share funny moments all the time. Kids do love it! I have also shared embarrassing moments and that goes over well too. I'm not sure I could dress out of character! I will have to push out of my comfort zone and try it! I am always envious of teachers that can make complete fools of themselves in front of their class. I've only been teaching three years, so maybe that will come with comfort!
"Play Sheet" once again, made me reflect on what I'm doing right and what I might change. I do think I could lighten up a bit with one student I have. He has quite an ego and doesn't mind rubbing his success in other kids' noses. He does this even when he knows they didn't do as well. I am going to have to work on a way to handle him without being so uptight. I run to the rescue of the other student, but think I could come up with a way to handle it better. Once again, my AHA moment came when it asked me to identify another teacher who uses humor in the classroom. I instantly remembered my cooperating teacher while I was student teaching. I am going to ask him how he would handle a student like "Jim". He had a way of handling all students in a respectful manner and yet a firm hand. The kids all loved him! I want to be remembered that way.
"Thanks to You" was a great tribute to that teacher. I'm sure all of us wish that the day would come when we also would receive such an amazing thank you. But while we wait, we will continue to try to do our best to make a difference in the lives of our students. I have the students write me notes at the end of the year and it is amazing to read what is written. They are funny and heartwarming. I hope they will remember me long after they leave my classroom the way "Merlin of the Moment" remembered his teacher.
In the section "Humor Homework" I try to relate funny and embarrassing moments and stories as often as possible. The students then feel comfortable telling me their stories. It brings out the "human" side of me to the students,not just the "teacher" side. I don't see myself dressing up for 8th graders, that would be going way "outside the box" but you never know, stranger things have happened.
From the section "Play Sheet", our school is right now trying to work on the positive and negative qualities of the school. We have formed committees to work within the school as well as committees to work with the parents and community. The students were recently surveyed about how they feel regarding numerous areas. It is a huge project that we hope will improve our school climate.
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