Chapter 7

1. Choose 4 bullets from the list on pages 88 & 89 of chapter 7 (repeat them in your posting), and explain why you believe these 4 traits, or beliefs, or mantras are true for you?

• "Students consistently want teachers who respect them, listen to them, show empathy toward them, help them work out their problems, and become human by sharing their own lives and ideas with their students."

I know this to be true because this is what I wanted from my teachers. I may not have really known that's what I wanted/needed at the time, but I remember those teachers that gave all those things to me because I felt successful, loved, and safe in those classrooms. When I felt those feelings, that's when I learned the most.

• "Teachers' enthusiasm for learning and for their subject matter is an important factor in student motivation that, in tune, is closely linked with student achievement. "

Teachers that show their enthusiasm in a subject are saying, "I believe this is important and there is a reason for why I am teaching you this. This is interesting and worth our time. You are going to love knowing this!" If you get that impression, you'll be so excited and motivated to find out what in the world is so cool about that topic. This will make the student focus more to find out what the teacher is so passionate about and make it more meaningful than if the teacher just presents the information with the attitude of " you have to know this for the test, so learn it". If they are excited about it and interested in the information to begin with then they will achieve at a much higher level.

• Effective teachers clearly identify learning goals and link them with activities designed to ensure student mastery of the goals.

I think this quote is a "Well Duh!" quote, but I think anyone can do the opposite when they aren't being careful. Students go to school to learn; so, everything they do in school should be centered around the things they need to learn. Not only is it important that the activities are centered around the goals, but the activity needs to fit the students' development, abilities, personalities, and needs. I like that! If I find a neat activity that goes with what I'm teaching, I need to make sure it is appropriate for my students and determine whether or not they will get out of the activity what I want them to. It's taking a step further to make sure I'm being efficient in my teaching.

• Teachers in schools with high achievement rates pre-assess in order to do targeted teaching.
  

This reminds me of the video clip we watched of that teacher you love (I forgot his name, sorry!). He showed a great example of this by having his students tell him what they thought 'voice' in writing means. He did this before he started to plan his unit! This way he was able to determine what his students already know and what they are still confused about. Then he created his unit centered on what his students needed to learn. That's so awesome! He only taught what they needed to know making their time, and his, more meaningful and beneficial.

2. Comment on one of the metaphors in this chapter. Explain why it makes sense to you, or why you don’t agree with it.

I can relate to the spaghetti "gravy" metaphor because it reminds me of my mom. My mom is one of the best cooks I've ever known. She hardly ever uses a recipe, and if she does she usually changes it. She can do this and create something delicious because she knows every spice, every taste, perfect consistencies, and measurements. She's spent so much of her life in the kitchen and knows when food needs something different and exactly what it needs and how much. Every meal or treat she makes is a representation of her love for those she makes it for. Because of this, she has researched and tried several different spices, herbs, and tricks to creating the perfect meal. She didn't know all this right when she first started cooking, it took time and dedication on her part to get to where she is now.
This relates to teaching because when I first start teaching I'm not going to know how to create perfect lessons and when something might be missing and how much. I'll be looking at lesson plans and following it exactly so I don't "screw up". But as I teach more and more and really have a passion for it, research techniques and strategies, get to know my students' interests and needs, I will eventually become that type of teacher. My lessons will be a representation of my love for my students. They will be full of rich and exciting elements that will be "delicious" to partake! I will design them to fit their needs and when something needs to be changed, I will know what it is and what I can replace it with to make it perfect for my students.