This is by far my favorite teacher quote! I really believe teachers that LOVE teaching, have greater influence over their students. Passion for teaching can be seen by the students. If a teacher can teach children to LOVE learning then they have succeeded. The possibilities are limitless for students that LOVE to learn. I will blow this quote up and hang it in my classroom somewhere so that I can always be reminded of my goal.  

I think that this quote sums the last chapter in the book up. An effective and responsive teacher strives to do all these things. Like the book says it isn't possible to always differentiate, and teach to each child individually. But caring teachers are still able to change the life of their students for the better. My favorite part of this quote and a quality that I think the best teachers have is that they learn every day and they are teachable. No teachers is perfect and there is always room for improvement. As the teacher strives to improve the students will notice this and they too will try to improve. 

High Quality Teaching 

Chapter 7: Post #1 

In the beginning of this chapter it says that high quality teaching and responsive teaching is one in the same. I agree with this. In the chapter it then list many things that responsive or high quality teachers do. I really loved all the suggestions and I plan on using all of them. The author says that it is difficult to see what is essential for the learner. But what I learned is that to be a high quality teacher and to see what is essential to the students in my class is that I need to get to know them. If I care about my students I shouldn't have a problem with teaching them. It might be hard but it will be worth it.  

I really like this quote I like the metaphor. Gardening isn't fun sometimes and you run the risk of getting stabbed by thrones, but if you don't dive in and try you will never see the wonderful flowers. Its the same with teaching if you don't dive in and love and get to know your students even though it is difficult you would never be able to help and inspire a student.  

.......they will not forget how you made them feel

I was reading McKenzie's blog, in one of her posts she said the following quote that I really think is important to remember. 

Looking back on my elementary school experience I cant remember what each teacher taught, but I do remember how I felt towards that teacher. When I think of my 1st grade teacher. I will always cringe because she made me feel dumb, I really struggled with reading, and she would always make me read in front of people. This made me feel embarrassed. However I have had many teachers that made me feel good about myself. One such teacher was my 7th grade history teacher, Mrs. Barton, she really stretched us, she made us work, but she was always there to help and encourage us. I think that a huge part of differentiation is simply getting to know your students and letting them know that you believe that they can do great things. If teachers make students feel happy and give them confidence they will be so much more willing to learn. 

Characteristics of Effective Curriculum and Instruction

In this section I learned that Curriculum is a vehicle for fulfilling students needs. It is important that the curriculum is:
- 1. Important. Student need to know that what they are learning is something that they will use in the future. No one wants to learn things that they will never use.
- 2. Focused. Teachers need to make sure that they know what the end goal is. Instruction should be focused and based on the end goal. Students should also know what the end result of a lesson should be.
- 3. Engaging. Make instruction exciting for the students. I think that the key to making work engaging is to somehow connect what is being learned to their lives. Show them how they use what is to be learned everyday or how it will benefit them in the future.
- 4. Scaffolded. Stretch the students. Make tasks a little bit above their current level. This will make them think harder and learn more. Be there to support students.
- 5. Demanding. This is a lot like the scaffolding part. make sure that instruction and tasks aren't too easy for the students. Make it a little bit difficult, than when they succeed they will gain more confidence. They will realize that they can understand and do hard things.

The Importance of a Positive Teaching Environment

I really enjoyed reading about how to make a classroom have a positive environment. I really enjoyed it because I have been in classrooms that didn't have a positive environment and I hated that class. I also didn't learn one single thing, I went only because I had to, to make a good grade. On the flip side in elementary school I did have a teacher that really made his classroom a positive one. Mr. Livingston was my 6th grade teacher he was amazing! I remember when I first found out I would be in his class I was disappointed, because I thought he looked mean. However, on the first day of school I found how truly wrong I was to think he was mean. I was always excited to go to school. I knew that he really did care about me, and want me to succeed like he did all the other students. I was one of his last students he retired that same year. When I go home I will run into him occasionally and he still knows my name and visits with me. In the reading there is a list of things that help create a positive learning environment. While i was reading I realized that Mr. Livingston did many of these things. One is to COMMEND CREATIVITY. One of our assignments was to make a rocket that would carry an egg and somehow get the egg back to the ground with out cracking. Many students packaged their egg in styrofoam. My partner and I decided to strap a parachute to ours. On the day of the launch we were all excited to see whose would work. Ours was the only one. He made a big deal of it and showed it to all the other classes. He told us that it was a creative idea that no one else had ever tried it before they just assumed it wouldn't work.  Another thing he was great at doing was HELPING US KNOW ABOUT ONE ANOTHER. He wanted all of his students to be friends. I don't think anyone that whole year got bullied. He gave us opportunities to work together in groups. He always made sure that no one was being left out.

Becoming a Remarkable Teacher

My favorite part of the reading this week was the following quote, "Remarkable teachers are aware of the restraints and imperfections of schools. Somehow these teachers see the possibilities more clearly than the impossibilities. They look beyond the things that they cant change toward the young people, learning environments, curricula, and instruction they can change." I really think it is so important to focus on things that you can change rather than things you can't. By doing so I feel teachers can really make a difference in their classroom. Below is a graphic of the ways a teacher should respond to the students needs.

Invitation: One aspect of a remarkable teacher that i feel is one of the most important is being teachable. A teacher should have an attitude toward the students of "I learn when I listen to you". I feel that students would really respond to a teacher that has an attitude like that. 

Opportunity: I have important things for you to do here today. All students need to feel that the things that are done at school are important. If a teacher can make students feel like this students will really put more effort in to their school work. 

Investment: I will do what it takes to ensure your growth. Teachers cant be lazy they have to be willing to go the distance. 

Persistence: There is no finish line in learning. I love this, all teachers should have this attitude. Teachers and students alike will go a long ways with an attitude like this. 

Reflection: I continually ask, "How can I make this better?" I hope I am one of the teachers that is always improving and changing things up. There is always room for improvement.