The Excellent 11- In Closing

I agree with Ron that passion is such an important part in teaching. Passion is what gets you out of bed in the morning. Passion is what gets you out the door in the morning. Passion is what keeps you looking and searching for things to better help your students. Without passion, teaching is just a job. But with passion, teaching can be your life's mission work. Like Ron said, changing the world IS possible. I hope I can keep my passion stirred up as I enter into my own classroom.

The Excellent 11- Chapter 11- Reselience

I think this chapter was a really good reminder that we should take care of ourselves, both physically and mentally, in order to take care of our classroom full of students. When we get knocked down, we should be resilient and over comers.It's important to believe in what you're doing even when no one else does. I think that's one thing that makes Ron Clark such an outstanding teacher. He doesn't let anything deter him. If he belives in something he and his students are doing, he puts his all into it no matter what anyone else says. I hope, as a teacher, I can have the same determination, drive, and reselience as Ron Clark. When people told him he was crazy, he just smiled and continued with what he was doing. He knew it was to better his students and to better them as a class. I hope I can do much of the same with my future students.

Teach Like Your Hair's On Fire- Epilogue- Rest in Peace

Rafe's epilogue was very touching. Teaching really can be a thankless job at times. It's definitely a position that people take for granted. Children will always be required to be in school, therefore there will always be teachers. But it's up to us to decide what kind of teacher we want to be. Do we want to be a teacher who is just there to receive a pay check and walk out the door? Or do we want to be a teacher who makes a difference in the lives of our students? Do we want to be a teacher that provides an environment that acts as a safe haven or a second home to our students facing tough times? That's the kind of teacher I want to be. Hopefully somewhere down the road, some of my former students will write essays and letters much like the ones Rafe's students wrote. I want them to be able to think back on being in my classroom and smile because I made a difference in their life.

Teach Like Your Hair's On Fire- Chapter 17- Will Power

I think it's really important that students gain respect for theater and the fine arts. Having them listen to plays and watch television adaptations of plays is a great way to help students gain an appreciation for plays and their authors. I remember we did a lot of this during high school. We would read the play all the way through and then watch a version of it. It was always interesting to see the differences between them. I think what Rafe did with his classes is nothing short of outstanding. I can't imagine taking on something of that magnitude and STILL being a full time teacher. He must have no life outside of his classroom. Perhaps he should read what Ron Clark says about balance.

The Excellent 11- Chapter 10- Appreciation

Appreciation is definitely something that is lacking in this generation and the coming generations.It is so important that we show appreciation for others and also set a good example for our students to follow in showing appreciation for others. No matter what position a person may hold in a school or a community, each person is important and it is up to us as teachers and parents to help these students understand this. I really like that Ron addressed the different ways different people in different positions in a child's life can appreciate one another. One thing I really liked was when he was talking about how teachers can appreciate parents. A lot of times, showing appreciation will earn you appreciation. I think this is a key to the teacher/parent relationship.

Teach Like Your Hair's On Fire- Chapter 16- Do They Know It's Christmas?

This chapter was so insightful and interesting. I think all students and classrooms should be involved in some kind of community service, and helping the needy, poor, and homeless is a wonderful service to give. Many children are not aware of how incredibly blessed they are to live in such a wonderful country and have so many of the things we are blessed with. Some students complain if they have too much homework or too much to study. They never take into account that there are many grown men and women who cannot read or write. They are blessed to be able to read their homework and write the answers to it. Do community service and projects like the ones Rafe does with his students is an excellent way to expose students to the real world and the real things that are going on. It also shows the students that they can make a difference in someone's life. I think that's so important for students to understand. They don't have to become presidents, or pop stars, or authors, or even teachers. By lending a helping hand and showing care and concern for others, there's no telling how many lives one child can impact.

Teach Like Your Hair's On Fire- Chapter 15- It's Only Rock 'n' Roll (but I Like It)

I really enjoyed this chapter because I really enjoy music. Music is definitely one of the major loves of my life. Whether I'm playing the piano, singing, or just listening to music, I love being around music. Being able to incorporate it into my classroom is a really exciting thing to think about. I doubt I could do all that Rafe did and continues to do, but I will definitely incorporate music into my classroom. Music can reach children in a way that not many other things can. It's something they can identify with. It's something that always makes sense to them. By using music with lessons, lectures, and study aids, students will take a lot more from these things because of the music. I was very excited to use music in my lesson plan about the Underground Railroad. By using the song "Follow the Drinking Gourd", the students were able to take away a better understanding of the slaves' suffering as well as some of the hidden meanings behind the Underground Railroad. I really think it made them more excited about what could have been an otherwise boring lecture. Music changes things, even in the classroom.

The Excellent 11- Chapter 9- Common Sense

Common sense is a very important part of teaching. It's definitely apparent that what is common sense to an adult or teacher may not be common sense to a student. Sometimes, it is best to go into great detail when you're dealing with young students. They may or may not understand exactly what you are asking for even though it may seem pretty black and white to you. I love what Ron did with his classroom materials list and the organization of the materials. Organization was always difficult for me in elementary school. No one had ever shown me how to organize my notebooks, binders, or my locker. I think it is so important to show your students how to be organized so they can quickly find their pencils, homework, books, etc... Using common sense while you're teaching can really help you stay on your toes, as well. It can help you make split-second decisions and ultimately decisions that will benefit your classroom the most.

Teach Like Your Hair's On Fire- Chapter 14- Goin' Mobile

Chapter 14- Goin' Mobile
This chapter was pretty neat, also. When I think about taking my future classroom on a field trip, my mind begins to spin. I just can't comprehend how I'm going to go about keeping 20+ students under control long enough for them to gain some kind of knowledge from the field trip. Rafe's class trips served many different purposes, and the preparation they went through before-hand was very impressive. Learning the history behind the places you are going is a great way to get the students to respect and appreciate the trip even more. Still, it seems too good to be true and very unrealistic. I can't imagine teaching my future students all the things Rafe teaches his students, let alone having them act upon all of that in a real life situation such as a hotel room or an airplane. But small class trips are a great idea. It gets the students out of the cramped, cluttered classroom and into the real world. I know as a student I thoroughly enjoyed field trips, even if it was just to the local high school to watch their choir perform. Class trips are a great way for students to spend time together and bond, as well. Not only will they bond with each other but with their teacher, as well.

The Excellent 11- Chapter 8- Humor

This is something I used to not think anything about. Humor? In a classroom? I never put the two together. Upon thinking about it further and reading this chapter, I realize now that it is incredibly important to have humor in the classroom. As adults and teachers, we can look at situations far too seriously. If we take a step back and try to see things from the students' point of view, chances are we will find humor in it and not take the situation so seriously. On the other hand, there have been several times in my field study that I have watched the students (mostly girls) freak out and stress out about such small things. I watch this and think back to a time when I was their age and I was stressing out about the exact situations they were. I have to laugh because I know now how small and minuscule those things are in the long run. That's one thing that I find humor in. Finding humor in these situations, both serious and not-so-serious, can help us relate to and understand our students a little better. One thing to remember (and I have a hard time with this sometimes) is knowing that there is a time to be humorous and a time to be serious. Knowing the difference is the key to successfully using humor in the classroom.

Teach Like Your Hair's On Fire- Chapter 13- Celluloid Heroes

Chapter 13- Celluloid Heroes
This chapter was pretty cool. We live in a world today where kids (and adults) are watching TV and movies more and more. It can be such a powerful tool if we learn to use it to our advantage. Students can get things out of a movie that they would never have gotten out of a textbook or a lecture. I think if a teacher is gifted enough to be able to use movies to teach and can use them successfully like Rafe did, it would be a tremendous tool in his or her classroom. I, however, don't think I would be able to successfully use them as Rafe did. A lot of things he does, including the movies, seem a little too good to be true. He has to really have a handle on his classroom in order for things like that to work properly. But a couple movies every year seems pretty reasonable and will seem special to the students.

The Excellent 11- Chapter 7- Confidence

Confidence is such an important issue for kids growing up. Students will perform better in class and in life if they are confident. Recognizing students' achievements can boost their confidence greatly. I learned a lot from this chapter. I struggle with a lack of confidence when I am in front of a group of people, including students. I've been pretty worried about doing lessons in front of the students in my placement class. After reading this chapter, I know I need to just practice my lesson over and over again until I become comfortable with it. I need to practice until it become second nature to me and I don't have to second guess what comes next. Hopefully when I get up in front of the class to do my lessons, I will have confidence and will be able to execute the lessons effectively. I love the part of the chapter where Ron talks about the mock interviews preparing the 5th graders for their middle school interviews. That was such an inventive idea and a wonderful way to help the students build confidence before their big interview. Confidence is such a key component in school and in life.

Teach Like Your Hair's On Fire- Chapter 11 and 12- Taxman and Think for Yourself

Chapter 11- Taxman
This chapter was so interesting. The economic system in Room 56 seems a little complicated, but I'm sure it really teaches the students the value of money and how to save it appropriately. I'm not sure I could implement something like that in my classroom, but it seems like a wonderful idea. It really teaches the students responsibility and money management as well as other life-long lessons they need. It's never too early to begin learning important life lessons like how to manage money and spend it wisely. It was really interesting to read about these kids growing up and owning their own homes when their parents didn't own their own homes. Some students grew up, bought their own home, and even saved up enough money to buy homes for their parents. It's amazing what skills these students learn at early ages can do for them when they grow up.

Chapter 12- Think for Yourself
I have a love/hate relationship with problem solving. If there's a problem to be solved and I can figure out how to do it, I love doing it. If I can't figure out how to go about solving the problem, I get frustrated and hate it. I really like "The Bible" Rafe talked about giving his students. It would've really helped me when I was learning how to problem solve. "The Bible" not only works for homework but for real life problems as well. His story about the break-in was a very great story. I hope I can instill those kinds of traits into my students.