Chapter 10: Going Beyond the Classroom

I was really surprised by how many ideas this chapter offers about finding ways to get students outside of the classroom but still learning.

I didn't realize there were so many programs for students to take during breaks and summer. I really liked some of the suggestions about getting students out of the classroom during the regular school year too. I think all of the ideas in this chapter are really great ways to teach students both about whatever subject I'm teaching in school and about real life.

Chapter 9: When Things Go Wrong

One thing that surprised me in this chapter was the story about the guy who only went to school before the report cards came out and for the final but still managed to get B's.

This surprised me because I don't understand how even with 150 kids each day a teacher could just not notice that a students is absent all the time or that they haven't turned in work all year. Even in a larger school I expect the teachers to be paying enough attention to realize that kid hasn't been in school. It is no wonder that so many kids feel invisible, especially their first year of high school.

Chapter 8: Teaching Teenagers who are Still Learning English

This chapter said a lot of interesting things about how to best teach students who do not speak English as their first language. What surprised me though was that a few students commented that teachers would not help them or expect much of them in class. One student even had one teacher do her test for her while she wrote down the answers.

This surprised me because these people are teachers! Their job is to teach not to get frustrated and give up simply because of a language barrier. There are other ways to communicate. I'm surprised that so many teachers just give up. I can see that it would be frustrating but you can't just give up.

Chapter 7: Teaching Difficult Academic Material

One thing that surprised me from this chapter was that the students really understood the importance of having a good teacher. The students understood that a good teacher is passionate and puts a lot of thought and effort into keeping the students engaged.

This surprised me because I remember many times as a student where I wondered why we needed the teacher. The teacher would just do a power point everyday and that material what was on the test. I could have easily taken the notes, studied them and gotten a good grade on the test without needing to go to class. The fact that students know they need teachers means they know they can't learn it on their own.

Chapter 6: Motivation and Boredom

the most surprising thing from this chapter was that students understood why it is important to be in school and then they often refuse to do the work or attend.

This really surprised me because if you know why it is important then why would you not take it seriously? Students listed very good reason to go to school that showed they really understood why it is important. Why doesn't that knowledge lead them to stick with school? Yes school is boring but that doesn't seem like a good enough reason to give up on it.

Chapter 5: Teaching to the Individual, Working with the Group

The thing that surprised me the most in this chapter was that students wouldn't ask questions if they didn't understand.

This surprised me because it only makes sense to me that if you don't understand you ask questions. If you don't understand then how will you ever find out? However, on reading the chapter more it started to make more sense. Sometimes we are so lost that we don't what questions to ask and we don't know that if we just say "I'm lost" we'll get help.

Chapter 4: Creating a Culture of Success

The students talk about being embarrassed when they do badly. That wasn't surprising to me at all. What did surprise me though, was that a few students said that they liked being praised in front of the class.

That some students like being praised in front of the class surprised me because I hated that in school. I had one teacher who would ask if you wanted to see or hear your test grade after he had graded our tests. If I thought I did well I always asked to see it. I didn't want the other students to know how well I as doing because kids are really mean to you if you are doing well in the class and they aren't. And if they aren't mean then they are begging you to let them cheat. I would have imagined that other students would feel the same way I did.

Chapter 3: Classroom Behavior

I think what surprised me the most was how much the students were frustrated by having substitutes in the classroom.

I think this surprised me because when I was in school a substitute meant we didn't have to do anything and that was good. I would think that instead of being frustrated by how little they are learning with the substitute that students would more enjoy not having to work. On the other hand, I can understand that if a substitute is in charge of the class for a long period of time it would start to feel pointless and frustrating.