"I have found that by giving the students a say in what they will learn about, I can improve the chances that each of them will participate in and benefit from the unit activities." - p. 60
I believe this with all my heart. Sometimes I feel like teachers get on a bit of a high horse and want to teach and do what they want to do, but when they realize that they have 25 little ones counting on the teacher to mold, lead, and guide them towards their future, the teacher should be less worried about what SHE wants to teach, but what the little students are eager to LEARN. When teachers realize that even though these students may be young, they have such a yearning for life. They want to know about the world around them. They are curious about many, many things. Why not let your students have a say in what they might be interested in learning about. When teachers allow the students to broaden their horizons and learn about something they're interested in, magic happens. Light bulbs turn on and suddenly, these little children's lives are changed. When they're in college, they'll look back on their 2nd grade teacher who let them explore and learn about things they wanted to know more about... and they thank them... because their love of learning started at such a young age.
ps- I LOVE that you love Anne of Green Gables! I'm not surprised. That Anne is hilarious and I laugh and laugh every time I see this movie. It's so wonderful and good for the soul! You should look into purchasing the DVDs on Amazon! It is SO worth it to own! :) My favorite things about the Sound of Music is of course the sound track. I have so many favorite moments in The Sound of Music, but if I have to choose: I love the scene when they're out on the town and Maria teaches the children to sing and they sing all over town. I also love the scene with Liesel and Freidrick " I am 16 going on 17." Oh my goodness, I love all of it! :)
Well, you're pretty convincing about the fact that I should buy the DVDs! I wish I would have thought to do that for Christmas. It would have been a wonderful family gift! But you're right... I really DO need to get them! Okay, those moments in Sound of Music are great... but I would have to say that MY favorite moment is when Maria and Capt. realize they are in love... down in the "garden" at night, and they sing, "for here you are, standing there, loving me -- whether or not you should. Oh somewhere in my youth or childhood, I must have done something good." Ooooohhhhh, I just never get tired of that scene!
ReplyDeleteThat is such a GREAT photo of you! Is it professional? I love seeing your face as I "talk" with you! 4 points