Chapter three of Fulfilling the Promise is all about how the teacher responds to the student needs. As discussed previously we know that the teacher responds with investment, persistence, invitation, reflection, and opportunity. All of these items will be discussed in my next blog, but now, in this post, we discuss why we wanted to get into teaching and the facts of life concerning differentiated instruction. I touched on it in my last post that, differentiated instruction is easy on paper, but is difficult to execute effectively.
The text mentions that is is no small thing to become fox tamers. As we know, I do not like that word, tamers, so I will once again refer to it as relationships. Relationships are sometimes hard, require risk, and require much more time. In order for us to justify the effort we must remember why we got into teaching in the first place. For me, and I hope that does not change, it is because I believe that I can have a positive impact on students. The book talks about the naiveness of new teachers and what their dreams of the classroom are. It talks about not loosing that naiveness, or as it mentions find out what your dreams are, know them, and live up to them. I agree with this concept. Keep your vision alive no matter how many times you are beaten down or told you do not have time for that in class. I must remember why I wanted to do this, to make students better, no matter what the risk or time commitment. What takes the time? Relationships, at all levels, are work and in order for me to develop individual relationships of trust with my students I must spend the time and take the risk.
How can I respond to what my students need if I do not know my students. How can I make my curriculum challenging to each student if I do not know what there starting line is? One can only provide for someone when they know what that someone needs. I will commit to finding out the needs of my students through establishing a positive relationship with each and everyone. I make this commitment without full understanding of the detractors that will be placed in my way, but as the book says I must push through the excuses.
We have established what the student needs, but have yet to breakdown my response to these needs. That will be done in the next post, stay tuned.
I really enjoyed reading this! You said, "keep your vision alive no matter how many times you're beaten down..." I would just say that I believe if you will "keep your vision alive," and people come to know you BECAUSE OF your vision, you won't necessarily feel beaten down, and you be the teacher that others want to emulate. Of course, it's important to keep your vision alive for YOURSELF, and to not appear to be pushing it on others... just busily keeping it alive for yourself... and others will notice and want what you have. 5 pts.
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