Literature Blog #1

When I was younger, I really enjoyed reading. I always did well in the school's Accelerated Reading program, and I always thought reading was fun. I not only liked reading to myself but I also enjoyed reading out loud to others. I was even picked to be in the county's education fair for reading out loud 3 or 4 years in a row and won! But somewhere along the way, I lost my enthusiasm for reading. For a long time now, I've only read when I was supposed to. And even then, I would sometimes look for shortcuts to read as little as possible. But I know all of that is going to have to change soon. I hope this reading block will change my outlook on reading and its importance in teaching and learning. I don't want to teach my students to look for shortcuts in reading. I want to be an example for them. I want them to learn that reading can open so many doors for them. Technology is great in its own place, but nothing will ever take the place of reading a good book.

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.