Fullfilling the Promise chapters 3 and 4

I loved the quote at the beginning of chapter 3. I love that is says to give unblinking attention, respect and even awe. I love how it says with awe, like we should admire our students. I love the idea. Children are in awe of adults often, but for an adult, even a teacher, to admire a students achievements would just make them light up so much. The student would feel so proud, and I love that.

I like how the book talks about making the children each your partner in creating a classroom that mirrors the world you both want to live in. It sounds so great to be able to create an environment that you all can enjoy together and individually. I also like that it says teachers must help each child discover ways that they are unique and valuable, as well as finding the unique and valuable things about the other students in the class. So the child is not only finding out that they have talents, but that every child in their classroom has talents. "The classroom must be our, not mine. The rules for living in the classroom must be our rules. The solutions to problems must be our solutions. the procedures we follow must come from a shared logic about how things need to work here for each of us to succeed." I absolutely love everything about this quote because it is the definition of a classroom community to me. Everyone is involved and agrees with the rules, we find solutions to problems in schoolwork and other problems not relating to schoolwork, by coming together and solving it as a classroom community.

I absolutely loved what the first year teacher did every morning when the children got to school. First she makes sure to greet every child, so they feel they are all important to the teacher. Then she collect "troubles" so the children can leave their worries at the door. I love that. I think it is so great for the students to try to forget about their worries while at school so they feel safe in their environment. Also, the teacher gets to see how the child may be feeling that day to just be aware of it for the day.

"To establish ties with a student, we must come to see how each student is unlike every other- and to see that, we must form ties with that student" it definitely goes both ways. we cannot see how a child is unique if we do not have ties with that student, and we need to have ties with a student to see how they are unique.

I love reading this book because as I read it, I am constantly thinking, "oh I want to do that" or "I want to be like that" or "that is a great idea." It makes the reading enjoyable.