Week 2: No Wonder... Chapters 3&4, Creative Connector

"So often teachers lament, 'I don't know why those children did so poorly.  I taught it.'  We must remind ourselves we're not in school for teaching; we're there for learning.  Student learning is the only result that counts!" (pg. 37).  I feel this passage keeps we the teachers in check.  We feel as though we've done our job as far as teaching is concerned, so why can't some students learn this material?  I feel you have to ask yourself several factors.  Have I created lessons with my students in mind?  Am I differentiating instruction for all learning styles?  Have I created an atmosphere that encourages students to try there best while remaining comfortable in who they are?  All in all, if you as an educator have seemingly "failed" your students, you need to remember why you wanted to be an educator. 

"In addition to the framework of known expectations, another element of a user-friendly classroom is consistency in classroom routines and academic and behavioral expectations.  Consistency, without rigidity, provides a structure in which students can feel safe and secure.  This is true for all children, and especially for low SES children, whose home environments may be somewhat unpredictable or unstable.  Child psychologists agree that children may need to know what the 'boundaries' are.  The more consistently the boundaries are reinforced, the easier it is for children to work within them.  They can focus on the lessons without wondering or worrying about what's coming next."  I love this passage.  I feel as though it directly relates to the Rochester City School District (RCSD), the district in which I work and have worked three years now.  Nearly every year, modifications are made within the different schools, and the district itself.  Children (and adults) are typically creatures of routine.  We love to find a rhythm and stick with it.  Unfortunately, schools in the RCSD are constantly changing and the children may never fall into a real routine.  How can the teachers in the district be held accountable for this when the district itself can't even follow this ideology?  

"Every child benefits from frequent appropriate feedback, but it may have special significance for children from low SES environments.  The average child from a professional family receives 32 affirmative replies for every 5disapprovals, a ratio of six to one.  In sharp contrast, children from low SES homes hear 5 affirmations for every 11 disapprovals, a ratio of one to two."  This resonates in my head as a very disturbing statistic.  The thought of not receiving constant praise and recognition, for anything, bothers me.  How can we expect the children to be successful if their families, friends, and educators may be setting them up for failure?  Communication with families is key.  In order for a child to be successful, I feel it can only be completed with every influence in the child's life pulling together for the common good of the individuals future.  

Brendan Ayers