I've heard it said that good teachers, like good actors, are thieves--constantly taking good ideas from other teachers. But, like Robin Hood, good teachers pass on what they "steal" to others. What ideas in the Molder of Dreams video might a teacher find particularly worth "stealing" and passing on? What do you like about Guy Doud's approach to education? If you were someday chosen "national teacher of the year" which of your past teachers do you think you would mention as having passed on to you something you think should be passed on to others?
Tuesday, September 2, 2014
Molders of Dreams
I've heard it said that good teachers, like good actors, are thieves--constantly taking good ideas from other teachers. But, like Robin Hood, good teachers pass on what they "steal" to others. What ideas in the Molder of Dreams video might a teacher find particularly worth "stealing" and passing on? What do you like about Guy Doud's approach to education? If you were someday chosen "national teacher of the year" which of your past teachers do you think you would mention as having passed on to you something you think should be passed on to others?
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I really liked the idea of having students sit where they want to. As a student, I automatically liked the teachers who let us sit where we wanted. As explained in the video, a lot can be learned about students by just seeing who they surround themselves with. I agree with Mr. Doud when he says that we need to genuinely need to get to know our students. He said that teachers are in the kid business. I totally agree that we need to focus the vast majority of our attention as teachers on the specific needs of our students. One teacher that I would mention is Mr. Gould. He was a 9th grade civics teacher and had that great ability to relate to his students. He took the time to get to know them and he made each student feel comfortable to be themselves in his classroom.
ReplyDeleteThe message I recieved from the video is that Mr. Doud focuses on teaching the student first and the subject second. Throughout the entire video you could see he genuinly cared about the students as people and about what was going on in their lives. Once he created a personal, but professional, relationship with his students he was able to better teach them. I think that is a major hurdle to overcome in a lot of classrooms, but one that is worth the persistence. I really liked his idea of having the students introduce each other. Not only did it get them talking, it created common interest among them to get everybody talking about a singular subject and voicing their opinion. I think that his ability to connect to students, use humor in a variety of situations, and maintain a professional manner is very admirable and something I hope I can do as a future educator. My freshman speech and debate coach sticks out to me as somebody who's made a significant impact on my life. I went through a lot of personal struggles my freshman year in high school and she was able to see that and take me aside and talk with me, understand how I was feeling, and help me overcome my issue. She was able to connect with me and work with me on an indivudal basis and in an in class setting. I know what she was able to do for me and I know there were other students that she did the same thing for. Having the ability to help students overcome issues in class and out of class is something I truly admire about her.
ReplyDeleteI would say that stealing items from Mr. Doud's classroom management would be ideal for other teachers. First of all he greeted students and welcomed them to class. A lot of teacher's are anti-social in the morning. Second upon watching this video, Mr. Doud did something that was unorthodox in teacher circles; let the students sit by who they want to sit by. Many would cringe at just the mention of this alone. He gave reasoning behind his madness, and it makes sense, it also allows for better discussion. I will probably rob his idea of letting other people introduce others, instead of themselves. Mr. Doud's approach to education was oriented on student learning, he taught them morals, and gave them support, both in and out of the classroom. His mannerisms should be followed by other teacher, and then they themselves should add to them. If I was selected National Teacher of the Year, I would thank my 8th grade teacher Mr. Porter for mentoring me, first and foremost. Second I would like to thank other teachers at my school, and also though at Northern who have moved me forward in life, mostly history faculty, though on the education side I would like to thank Dr. Jay. The key info I would pass on is to be a teacher first and a coach second. Always strive to better yourself and learn new things.
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ReplyDeleteI think one of the most important aspects of Mr. Doud's lecture was the importance of remembering that as educators we are in the "kid business." I agree with my colleagues that have posted before me, regarding the importance of "kid-centric" learning. Mr. Doud reinforces this importance by treating his students with respect and allowing them a degree of autonomy in the classroom. He allows them to sit where they chose and engage in open discussions. This might be a little more problematic or difficult to utilize in larger schools but in his smaller classroom, it worked great. The open and free flowing discourse, in my opinion, is super important for learning. I also agree with his statement that parents are equally if not more responsible for a child's learning than teachers. So much can be achieved before schooling if the child's parents exert themselves on the learning of the child. Finally, I liked his statement that a kid's obnoxious behavior may be simply a cry for help. This is made all the more relevant when you realize that perhaps George Washington's failed military campaign on Fort. Fort Duquesne, does not hold much relevance when a child is being abused at home. It is important to remember that there may be greater and larger events working on these children and your course may not be one of them.
I believe that this was a great video for anyone that is going into the education field. He understands that a majority of the time there is something negative going on in a child's life that is making them act the way they do in school. If you don't try to help or find out what is going on will only hinder the child's development. Being in the "kid business" will allow us to shape their minds and provide a common ground with the students.
ReplyDeleteI would find myself stealing his outlook that what he does each day may be small but in the end it adds up to something much bigger. Students will perform better if they are guided by a mentor, not a stranger.
I really liked Mr. Doud's idea of having students introduce someone else. It allows students to be a little more open instead of having having them describe themselves. I've noticed other people will get more information out of me by asking questions than I will by just introducing myself. Also, his willingness to get to know the students is definitely something that all teachers should strive to achieve. The one main thing about his approach to education that I like is that he views himself as teaching students, not English or History. It's good to put the students first in that aspect, especially when you stop and think that if they are having difficulties, there is probably something going on outside of the classroom that is the problem. It's important to remember that if a student doesn't get the coursework, there is a good chance it's not because he is "dumb", but that your class is the last thing on his mind when there are other problems in his life.
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