What Great Teachers Do Differently by Todd Whitaker
Reading Assignment: Chapter 1- "Why Look at Great?" pages 1-6
Chapter 15- "Make It Cool to Care" pages 113-124
Assignment: Using your text, please provide one original comment to the following questions and then explore the comments of your peers and respond to them. Be prepared to discuss these chapters at the third face to face session [March 27, 2010].
- Why do you think it is important to look at what effective teachers are doing?
- What do you think Whitaker meant by the title "Make It Cool to Care?"
Sample response: It is important to look at what effective teachers are doing because observation and understanding will help us as individuals grow.
ReplyDeleteJust trying out the blogging experience
It is important to look at what effective teachers are doing because we can "borrow" strategies from them. Through them we can build our database of strategies. We can also reflect and evaluate ourselves on what we need to improve/what we are doing well.
ReplyDeleteIt is important because effective teachers are doing certain things that all teachers could benefit from--that is their students are learning. Effective teachers are employing techniques that are getting their students' attention and promoting student learning. Effective practices they use can be copied in another classroom to try and achieve similar results.
ReplyDeleteYes, it will help other teachers to know how the teaching can become more effective and learning is taking place in the class.
ReplyDeleteBuild a database of strategies? What are you nuts? Just kidding. Good suggestion.
ReplyDeleteIt is important to see/know what effective teachers do so that these skills can be taught to others. Knowledge is power. This knowledge would decrease stress and problems with students.
ReplyDeleteHello Manika: Yes, you are right. We need to learn from each other.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteLuis,
ReplyDeleteI believe you hit the nail on the head. TEachers are such great "borrowers"!! We see one of our colleagues using a strategy that is effective with his/her students and we duplicate it in our own classrooms. Then we can add it to our own database and take ownership of the strategy.
Kathy - you are correct. Knowledge is certainly power. I am learning from all of you!
"Make it cool to care"
ReplyDeleteI have been able to foster an attitude of caring when I taught at the elementary level (K,2nd). However, at the middle school level I have not been successful. A lot depends on how the child is raised. Maybe I am not a good Middle School Teacher.
Make it cool to care means having a classroom of students who empathize with another's pain. And are not concerned with trying to look cool to the masses. Their goal is to bring comfort, trust, and solidarity.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Luis. Teachers have been borrowing ideas and strategies for years. It is our "right" since we work with the public. We depend on each other not only for ideas but for support and as a sounding board.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, thank you for the book. I also broke in tears while reading page 118. Katy & me should think together, about who to add; think, "what to do about the underllying attitude and tone" in Dowling M S where we work(page 119). It is a dysfunctional school...I want to be Mrs. Heart. We have something special as well = persons, souls. I have to sharp myself, and understand the power of emotion to junp-start change (page 121). Because I feel this is my only life, and I do not want to waste it. Enlight me!, teach me! to obtain the formula of the magic lesson I attempt.
ReplyDeleteKathy, you are fantastic! little support, and your done! The great teacher in Middle school! Ta rannnnn!!!:)
ReplyDeleteI agree that tThe easiest route for me to become an effective teacher in the 21st century is to look at effective teachers and learn from them. They have done their jobs so well every day and I have to learn from them. * What kinds of students are effective teachers teaching?
ReplyDelete* How do effective teachers teach them?
* What do they eat every day?
If all teachers can just learn from great teachers and then become great teachers, then NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND and Peach on Earth. Therefore, I think it is important to look at what effective teachers are doing.
To be a great teacher, you have to care about the environment and everyone in it. Then the students care abut the teachers and the schools. Then everyone is successful.
ReplyDeleteHe meant there were three characters for a teacher to become great. They are care, care, and care.
To Kathy:
ReplyDeleteIt's easier to say "Make it cool to care." than to get it realized. Think about it...If you get to have the set of students that you can work with, then you are lucky. On the other hand, if you don't get the students who can work with you, then forget about it. Just live well and eat well.
To Louis:
ReplyDelete"Effective practices they use can be copied in another classroom to try and achieve similar results." Yes, I agree with you. BUT you might still need to think hard to modify them for the reasons you know.
Thanks everyone for your blog responses. For those of you in the middle school arena with students who may be hard to reach, PLEASE do not give up. I worked with middle school children, and they can be reached. Keep on caring, and they will see that and respond. Take some time with your students every day to get to know them. Find what they are interested in, and get interested in that yourself. They will read and write about things they are interested in. Then when you have them hooked, integrate new information. It's possible - each day is a new day and filled with opportunity for even the tiniest changes in your students.
ReplyDeleteBest regards, Cheryl
I am completely overwhelmed by the responses. I never imagined that this blog would lead to such "raw" reflections. I am overjoyed! I have not met you yet, but I am a part of the Empowering Teachers Empowering Students collaborative team. I have heard your stories...your commnets on this blog convey an honest desire and need to do what is best for kids.
ReplyDeleteMartha- I am impressed...from the first resonse I read of yours until now...KUDOS to you...I am thrilled that these books have made some strong connections!!
We talk constantly about the importance of relationship building to reach teens. You cannot just say the words. They have to see it. In other words, you have to model caring which involves listening to teens. I love good deeds, I look for them, I reward positive behavior and do my best to not reinforce the negatives. Not always an easy task. When those good days happen, and you make a connection--WOW!
ReplyDeleteMr. Chou: When I see you smiling at students in the hall,I am proud of you. We teach at such a difficult school, and it is obvious that you care. I am glad to be a team member with you. Keep up the good work!! Marlys White
ReplyDeleteKathy: Middle School is a tough age. That is why the parents can't wait to put them on the bus every morning. (Joke) Don't beat yourself up over this. They are a tough crowd to teach to. One day at a time, one class at a time, relax, if they fart in class--laugh with them. It is the only way to survive. Middle schoolers do grow up and they do get better. Take care!!! Marlys
ReplyDeleteWell, there's little more I can add to what my colleagues said. I agree that we need to look at highly effective teachers to learn from them. We did something like that at my school 2 years ago. We went to observe a teacher from the grade below ours and a teacher from the grade above ours. We got really good ideas from those teachers and we were able to see different teaching techniques that helped improve ours.
ReplyDeleteRegarding the second question, I believe that what Whitaker meant with that title is that we ned to show that caring is not an old fashioned, obsolete word. We all care about our students but sometimes we don't show it clearly. Sometimes we are ashamed to show we care because that would make us look "weak". Not true. Our students need to know that we care about them.
ReplyDeleteI must have connection with my students. Get invited by the team for professional growing. I am in need of appraisals more than discouragements and angriness. It has been difficult to forget their lying solidarity. This is not why I am writing. I am writing because I should bloom a "power point" to encourage Dowling MIddle School to discover what is inside a positive tone: solemn, revivable, and brilliant.
ReplyDeleteThis would be great! but, how to create dynamic classrooms? How can the classrooms be synchronically marvelous?
I have not finished reading the books, plus "The Five Dysfunctions of a TEAM." I want to read them all. I must obtain THE MAGIC LESSON :)
Ideas, please, ideas!
I have a hard time with the term, "effective teacher" because my question them becomes, who or what is qualified as effective? In my opinion, this is a "loaded" term. Many teachers on my campus are very upset as a result of the current value-added data that pushes the ASPIRE program. While several of us have been identified and recognized by our peers, school administration, parents and even the U.S. government for the gains we have been consistently making over the years, this new system DOES NOT reflect our efforts or results. Consequently, we have been under even more stress and generally all-around unhappy.
ReplyDeleteI am a big proponent of professional development and continued teacher education. It is important that we stay abreast of current research, trends and technology that could positively impact our teaching. We should also continue to collaborate with one another to learn what works! There is no need to re-invent the wheel, just tweek it a bit every now and then.
Yes,I totally agree with you Marlys, we have to built a total connection with our teen students to win them and that is only possible with love and affection.We have to listen and understand them.It is very important to built an confidence between teacher and student. If you can "touch their heart then you can teach them anything".Great educators understand that behaviors and beliefs are tied to emotion, and they understand the power of emotion to jump-start change.
ReplyDelete"Make it cool to care" is a statement that I think can apply to almost any situation. Unfortunately, it seems that today, there are increasing numbers of people who simply don't care about much of anything. What happened to doing the job to the best of one's ability? What happened to caring enough to give and do the very best? Over the years, I've seen some teachers start off the year (or in some cases their career) very energetic, hopeful and full of the desire to make a positive impact on the lives of their students. Yet, we all are familiar with the "Faces of the Teacher". My question is this. What happens that changes us to an extent? Why is this a cycle that plays out year after year? What makes some just not care anymore? Yes. I agree. It is cool to care. While the author talks about the importance of letting students know we care about them, to encourage, praise and support them, who REALLY cares about their teachers? How can we get administration to care about us?
ReplyDeleteMartha,
ReplyDeleteI'm not so sure if a "Magic Lesson" exists. While I believe that the vast majority of teachers work hard at planning lessons that will bring content to life and capture both the students' attention and add to their knowledge base, it is difficult. On top of that we must deal with "surprise visits" from campus and district level administrators. It can be very frustrating indeed when the bulk of the feedback one receives from administration is negative. But to overcome that frustration I will recommend this. Simply do your best and forget about it. Try to keep variety in your lessons and when in doubt, ask the students what they like.
HISDMRCHOU,
ReplyDeleteWhat happens when the teacher does CARE and things still don't turn out "right"? Some of us are simply stretched to the limit. We DO care! But for some reason or another, that caring does not show up when and perhaps more importantly WHERE the district wants it to appear. Hmmm???
To Colts:
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, what is an effective teacher? I know some teachers in my school who get Aspire money on one side but are in a "growth plan" because of EVAAS on the other side. It is very confusing. I think we need to clarify some things first.
Learn from others is an ability that enable you to change positively. If we aspire to be effective in our lives, in any aspect of our life, familiar, professional or vocational, we need to learn what produce effective results in others lives. As educator I teach my students modeling the concepts to learn, they need to see an example before they could produce positive results. In the same way, either because we aspire to be effective or we have been required to be, we need to see a model to follow, an example to match and add our own creativity. We should not looking what effective teachers are doing to be a copy of them losing our identity but instead looking to be better and produce better results in our lives. I think that every effective teacher has been able to self reflect accurately and open to learn from other to produce positive changes in their lives.
ReplyDeleteYou care of things that are valuable. I think that Whitaker means that we need to realize the value of our profession, as teacher, we work with lives, human beings, no numbers or things. We work with hearts, emotions, personalities, children in process that need to growth stronger in their self esteem and identity. Children spent most of the day at the school looking to find protection, caring, comprehension, and friendly and loving environment where they can be them selves with confidence, because many times they could not find this at home. If the kids do not find that “cool” environment at the school, they should not have motivation to be at the school. They do not care for the school. Make it cool means that you are working because you love to be with all those kids. Even they are good or bad, you have accepted the challenge to transmit them not only knowledge but protection, security, love, confidence because you believe in them and you are compromised to make positive contributions in their lives, just because they care. If the children at the school feel this “cool” environment they will care for the school as well.
ReplyDeletewhen you make it cool to care then you develop a classroom environment that is inviting. Students actually want to learn and "put in the work".
ReplyDeleteI have to admit that I am the "Queen of Borrowing." I feel so enriched when my grade level shares powerful strategies and activities. Of course, I always make sure that I put something on the table as well.
ReplyDeleteLife is a baby because it is full of joy, love, and promise. A baby is always exploring his environment and discovering new adventures. A baby makes many mistakes, but he always learns from these mistakes.
ReplyDeleteSherry Booker
Burnet Elementary
Tonight, I was thinking about "cool to be carrying." I was talking to friends about my course and blog. Some of of the audience was teachers and others were not. They were commenting about this idea. If there was a question about my care for students, it was not tonight. I couldn't stop talking about Ch. 1 and 15. Since the first day of school, I foster an environment of family. Not only do I care about my students as my own children, but they too feel that thier classmates are a part of thier family.
ReplyDeleteWhen I found out that some of my colleagues trew this book, I copied on a power point (mentioned on the top) what I liked the most. It is on my DOCUMENTS in Google. Here it is:
ReplyDeletehttp://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0B72okSBVy30_OGZlMzgwOTEtMzJlYS00MDcxLWI2OTEtMTNhZTc2NDhjNzY0&hl=en
I think we all care to some extent or another. Some show it more than others. However, it seems that teaching is now run more like a business.
ReplyDelete