This was one of my favorite chapters. I find it compelling to learn all of the ways to make students feel more comfortable in the classroom, thus, giving more effort and interacting with other students. The first thing that I really agreed with was the idea that students value the respect of their peers more than they do their teachers when they reach higher grades, such as middle and high school. The book related, "fitting in, finding a group, and forming relationships with peers become more valuable than stickers on homework papers or nod of approval from the teacher" (Beers 259). From that we have to learn how to make kids feel like they fit in while they are learning.
Keep Your Expectations High
This part of the book told us a story about a group of students that asked their teacher why they didn't do the things that other, more advanced classes did. They brought about how they only write paragraphs instead of essays, don't have homework, and that she tells them things rather than having them find out themselves. From this the students got that the "teacher [thought they couldn't] do it" (Beers 261). The teacher finally gave in and said she would allow the students to read Huckleberry Fin like the other classes. Knowing that the students needed extra help, the teacher used more scaffolding for the students, and they did indeed complete the book. They even got AP credit for it. I found this to be a very true and relevant story to most classes today. In my placement this week, I saw this exact thing happen. The teacher told the students, "I won't talk about second person because you always get confused by it." She wasn't even willing to explain it to them again, and this is the type of circumstances that make students feel inferior. If the teacher doesn't think they can do it, then they surely won't believe in themselves.
Make Sure Students Know One Another's Names
Students need to feel like they fit in. Knowing their peers will help put them at ease and make them participate more. The book stated, "the effort we put into learning their names and making sure they learn each other's names is critical" ( Beers 265). I agree with this 100%. I know it gets tough to learn one hundred plus students, but I think it is do able. The students will benefit so much from it, by feeling like they are a part of a group and feeling like you value them as a student. I saw this personally in my field experience. One of the teachers was going around to check homework and had to ask the student his/her name before giving them points. The students caught onto this and wanted to know why she didn't know their names. They said the other teacher (who is a special ed teacher that helps certain students) knew our names, why don't you? The main teacher replied that she didn't do the attendance and had so many students that it was too hard. I find this hard to believe, when the other teacher can remember all of the student's names and it's not even her classroom. The students specifically told me they wished the classrooms were more exciting and the teachers more respectable. I really think they lack the confidence they need to perform to their best abilities.
Your post was great. I agree that students must be able to fit in to be able to feel comfortable. No students wants to be in a classroom where they feel like they don't belong because they will not get the education that they deserve. I feel that this relates to any person that has gone through high school or middle school. If you don't fit in at any place then you just don't focus well and I think that Beers provides an abundant amount of information in this chapter that will really help us as teachers.
ReplyDeleteThis really was a great post! I love how you tied in examples from your field experience at Firestone. It's really too bad that so many students at that school are missing out on a better education. I mean, the teacher didn't even know their names, how sad.
ReplyDeleteI would just like to say that I really enjoyed the section, "Keep your Expectations High" and your overview of that section is very good. The story about the class who so badly wanted to read Huckleberry Finn was very inspirational to me. I hope that I will be that teacher that will push my students to their max and in the end they will hopefully exceed my already high expectations.