Blog #6

4.1)   At the beginning of chapter 4, Carol includes a discussion between Charlie and his teacher, from a book called The Perks of Being a Wallflower.  I’ve read the book, and it’s gut wrenching, edgy, and sometimes over the top – definitely meant for mature audiences who are not especially sensitive to harsh language and difficult lifestyles.  But… this discussion moves me every time I read it.  Have you ever had this type of a discussion with a teacher?  Please tell me about it.

I have never had a conversation like this with a teacher; however, I have had one like this with my brother. He has a lot going on his life right now and for some reason he has never seen anything that he has done in his life as significant or worth it. He constantly compares himself to my husband (unfortunately). He says that he isn't smart enough to do anything and isn't capable of going to school. The reason that this bothers me so much is because he is the Head Core Man in the Navy, and has done so much in his life and has so much potential. He and I have similar discussions like Charlie and his teacher, and that is why it made me think of my brother. When I talk with my brother I tell him what I see in him, and tell him that he needs to find value in himself and what he is done, and know that he is capable of anything. Now relating this to my teaching....my brother has had an incredibly hard life due to choices he has made. As teachers we don't know the lives our students have lived before they come into our classroom, and we are only their to help them for a short time and then they move on to another teacher. The year that we do have them we need to set aside whatever they may think of themselves and try to build them up and teach them so they can have a real future and  have self worth and know that they are capable and though their work may be different from someone else, it is still amazing. I think that this is a big part of differentiation because it comes down to being the teacher that will give them what they need, and sometimes it is positive reinforcement and a push in the right direction. 

5.1)  On page 56 Carol says: “It is the teacher’s contract with the child to care intelligently, unyieldingly, and deeply about the individual’s strengths and weaknesses, dreams and nightmares, uniqueness and commonality.”  I felt this from Carol when she was my teacher.  It was a powerful experience that really did change me as a teacher.  Is there a teacher in your past who seemed to have this “contract” with you?  Please tell about it.

I had this type of "contract" with my 6th grade teacher. She believed in me know matter what. One instance that I often reflect on, was one day she noticed I was not being myself and she asked if I would like to talk privately wither her. I told her that I would. When we were talking I explained to her I did not feel like I was fitting in with my friends for various reasons. And something she said to me has always stuck with me. She told me that there will be times through out my entire life when I don't feel like I fit in, or someone doesn't like me. The only important thing was that I was always kind to whoever it was and I that I was always myself. I have tried to live by the advice she gave me when I was only eleven years old. My teacher didn't have to take time out of her lunch hour to talk with me, but she saw that I was in need and unyieldingly cared about me, so she did. I hope to be that in tune to my own students needs and develop that "contract" with them.