Week 1: The Jounrey Begins

Read Aloud

Silly Chicken by Rukhsana Khan
ISBN: 0 - 670 - 05912 - 9

This book addressed the idea of attachment and how it affects your relationships with other people. These attachments may have been created for different reasons, but the end result is that you tend to "love" these people or things more strongly. I would use it in a 4th grade class to help kids understand the difference between attachment and dependence. The mention of the dad's death and the mom's special treatment towards the chicken made me believe that the mother had become attached to the chicken as a way to deal with her grief. This, however, was unfair to the daughter because rather than being loved by her mom and depending on her, she simply felt alone. This books could also be used with young kids to introduce grief.



Learning Experience

Our discussion on what makes a teacher "great" helped me actualize some of the things I could do to make sure I am doing all I can to help children achieve all five levels of needs within the classroom. The way you great students can often be the key to unlocking the door to success. Most kids want to feel love, hope, and determination from their teachers. They need love to make them feel wanted and cared about. They need hope - the teacher's high expectations - which pushes the kids to do their very best. And they need to feel a sense of determination from their teacher so that they know the teacher will do whatever it takes to make sure they succeed.

Current Event

Gabrielle "Gabbi" Swainson

Who is she? She is a 15-year-old cheerleader from Ridge View High School who suddenly went missing from her home and has captured the hearts of so many locals including myself. No one knows how she was taken from her home, but officials do not that there were no signs of struggle. Tips have led police to the so-called boyfriend of the mother who had access to the home and Gabbi's DNA was found at his house. Suspicions, however, surround the mother's whereabouts and her involvement in her daughter's disappearance. Children across Columbia mourn over Gabbi and realize that we are not promised tommorrow. Lessons are beign taught throughout Columbia about the importance of safety and how to reduce your chances of being abducted. This case has gone national and has even gained the involvement of the FBI. Everyone hopes and prays that Gabbi is okay, but as more and more time passes, people's hopes fade.

Quote of the Week

 "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." -

Nelson Mandela

Education equals knowledge and therefore education equals power. The main goal in life is to educate the uneducated and change the world. This quote was important to me because it made me reflect on what the human race has achieved and has yet to achieve. We strive, as a population, to invent new things and successfully do things that were once considered impossible. The technology we have discovered has allowed us to do so much and solve so many problems. The quote canalso reflect that education can be used in a negative manner such as in Hitler or North Korea's nuclear weapon case. Education will always mean power because it elevates all that you know and allows you to do so much more in the world.

Observations

In regards to music and how it affects a student's work ethic and concentration, it depends solely upon each individual. Although listening to music while doing works improves my focus, the same cannot be said for some of my peers. And thus it is difficult for a teacher to decide if they will allow students to listen to any devices while doing work or simply dismiss the idea. Anyone can see the idea of discrimination be disputed if the teacher were to consider allowing such actions for only some of the students. Younger students are often less likely able to focus because their brains are still maturing.

Reflections

I have come to realize that my needs in the classroom are not quite similar to others. I need affection above all, above one on one time, above what other students ask for from a teacher. I need to be able to talk about my outside life and i honestly need you to take an interest in what i have to say. I want the teacher to be proud of me, i want them to be excited to hear my stories. But most of all, i want them to give me advice even if it's not quite what i want to hear. When i have such a connection with a teacher, it allows me to not focus on my outside life, but to move on and focus on what takes place in the classroom. I learned that even though Mrs.Sabau and i had our ups and downs she was the best teacher i have had in high school thus far. She constantly reassures me of how smart i am but that i don't apply it because i apply it to work and other things. She knows how tired i am and she knows that math concepts are just "something i get" without actually having to work for it. She knows my needs for learning successfully and that means not in the morning. She listens to my life stories and she gives me the time i need to get to where i need to be. Although she is sometimes tough on me, i know it is because she genuinely cares about me and believes i will be successful.