Chapter 10: Going Beyond the Classroom

I love how perceptive these students are. They are well aware of productive methods of learning that will interest them outside of the classroom, such as going to a local pond to clean and learn about the surrounding environment. With a teacher willing to engage students, it is incredibly possible to tie content into interesting areas, thus I am glad to see that this is happening within the schools.

I also loved that the chapter discussed bringing in other experts. A teacher that intends to provide students with the most learning and engagement will recognize that he or she is not always capable of conveying all subject matter. Instead, bringing an expert in will provide students with a new perspective and a deeper understanding of the material.

Chapter 9: When Things Go Wrong

Something that really stood out to me from this chapter was the connection between social and academic problems. It is evident that students who have a difficult time making friends will feel disconnected from the academic experience because they are uncomfortable, thus withdrawn. Although I recognized that this would be difficult for students, the accounts from students solidified this situation.

I found Lauraliz's passage especially significant. While in high school, I did all I could to simply blend into the crowd, whether in dealing with other students or with the teachers. With teachers who do not work to make the connection to their students, it is very easy for these students who do not wish to stand out to never be noticed or helped. With this realization, I would like to approach my own students in a different manner, and try to reach all students. Although it will be easier to connect with students who willingly approach me, my goal is to always have a connection between all students. I hope to find a way to make quieter students feel more comfortable.

Reaction to Behavior 101 Movie

If this were my class I would send the student down to the office and at the same time call down to the office to say that a student was on the way down for behavioral problems. I would ask them to call me when the student arrived to ensure that the student actually went. If the student would not leave or left the classroom without going to the office, I would ask that someone from the office come to get the student in order to avoid leaving the rest of my students. I would later give the student detention.