First, I have to say that I am really enjoying this book so far. It makes us, as teachers, real people with passions, flaws, and a very distinct mission in life that is quite different from other professions. Ayers does a magnificent job getting his points across with his direct dialogue and while basic, still meaningful and purposeful illustrations. It was easy to read the first half of this book in one sitting, which is very unusual for me. Most educational books in all honesty are quite dull to me. This book was one that should be required of all undergraduate students that are teacher candidates. Ayers provides stories of instances in the classroom that can really happen. Although our experiences and day to day instances in the classroom are different, he has somehow provided stories that we can relate to as teachers.
The first part of the book that really stuck out to me was the myths about teaching. Ayers writes that teachers only know one story of what is going on in the classroom. I realized this to be true
during my five years in the classroom teaching middle school. It taught me not to assume anything. I learned that a kid may not be focused in class because he/she is worried about a family, social, or other woe that can occur in an adolescent's life. It really made me want to know my kids and their stories so that I could understand them better as students. Teachers worry about things outside of the classroom on a day to day basis so it is only human nature that students will have worries as well.
Students worries, while perhaps different, are still very real and can affect their performance in the classroom. The other myth that I connected with was the idea that teachers always know the material. I remember my first year of teaching math. My kids would constantly ask questions that I didn't know the answer to. At the time, I felt very insecure and perhaps even a little inadequate as a teacher. I calmed down the following year and cut myself some slack. I realized that I wasn't suppose to know all the answers and had no issue replying to my students with, "you know I am not really sure the answer to that, but I will do my best to find the answer for you". We as teachers are not expected to know everything and must continue on with our quest of life-long learning to truly understand what our students experience everyday.
I loved the section about the educational "experts" that offer assistance and support in the classroom. We did a lot of reading in SED 551 on these people and it was entertaining to see them in a different way. Most of the readings we did on them was serious and very cut and dry. Ayers made it funny and realistic. It magnified how while they mean well, still may not understand what happens in a classroom. There were so many labels being thrown around instead of just seeing a kid for what he was, an individual. The teacher looked like the expert on kids not the so-called experts.
I very much look forward to finishing this book and discussing it in class. I am curious to know what parts others may have identified with.
I agree that this would be a great book for all undergraduates in the field of education to read. I have already recommended it to many of my 'teacher friends' from my other cohort and school.
ReplyDeleteIn your blog you stated, "Teachers worry about things outside of the classroom on a day to day basis so it is only human nature that students will have worries as well" and this is a part that really stuck out to me too. I constantly remind myself that students are people too and that they have lots of things going on in their lives as well. Based on the nature of the program I teach in I often am privileged enough to know a lot about my students, but it's impossible to know everything that's going on with them.
My classroom is near the vice principals office, and I often go down there during my free block. I see kids in there all the time who have been kicked out of class for one reason or another, and I have to admit that sometimes I'm jealous of the relationships that he (the vice principal) has with these students. A simple "What's up?" from him and they're spilling their guts about what's going on in their lives. This is the kind of stuff that's important for classroom teachers to know, but for whatever reason these conversations between students and teachers don't happen as often as they should.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand it at all but there is always a "confidentiality issue" cited.
DeleteI think teachers are so busy moving from class to class and running on full speed that we have a hard time stopping and just checking in. I try to have students write in their writers notebooks everyday and when I don't I feel the disconnect with them.
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DeleteI too think that this book should be required undergraduate reading. This book has a lot of insight for people that have never taught in public schools. However, I'm starting to think that I'm the only person that doesn't love this book... and I don't love it because with 7 years of teaching experience, I could have written this book. Most of what I read reminded me of conversations I've had with colleagues in the past.
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