On Fire for Middle Schoolers
http://theline.edublogs.org/
As I read this blog, I really got a sense of how much she loves her job or more specifically her students. She really values them, thinks about how they feel, and what is in their best interest. During the reading of the book for this class, I realize how important this time is for students and how a lot of things are all about 'self' for this age group. This lady has taken to heart the characteristics of educating young adolescents from "This We Believe". She values them and is prepared to teach them. She makes sure the students are engaged in purposeful learning and that it is relevant to them. In the post "Fire Drills in Prison" she goes a step further with the morning message. She takes what's been said and tries to make a connection with the students with it. Another characteristic she has tackled is creating a safe, inviting supportive environment. One can tell by the passion of her blog that the students are first. As she talks about how many hours she works she shows her dedication to the profession. She is committed to and knowledgeable of the age group. She also wants to provide challenges for her students and this is evident in the post about the poems. She goes above and beyond to reach her students and challenge them while writing poetry. Her fire for her students is so encouraging.
I love the tips at the end of her post! I am going to copy and paste those into a document so I can refer to them daily. It does seem like more and more kids don't like school. I hate to hear them say this, and I want to make them WANT to be there. You can see the look on their faces when a teacher yells, or is acting all authoritarian. Granted, like the author of the blog said, there are times we have to play "mama bear" and they have to do what we say immediately. However, whenever possible we need to give them choices and listen to their ideas. Giving them a voice can build their confidence and really make them want to participate. I really like this blog, and I think I'm even going to make it a favorite : )! Thanks Candice!
ReplyDeleteSunny, I want to hit on where you said it seems more and more kids hate school. I so agree with you. However, I was one of those kids where school was my very safe place, and that's the only place I wanted to be. It was teachers like us in our group, who were obviously VERY dedicated and wanted to help each and every child.
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