Article Response 2

Rachel Lorenzo

9/6/11

LAE 4530.001

Tara Payor & Nina Graham

Article Reflection 2:

“What Students Want from Teachers”

            Initially skeptical of the depth I would find in this article, I almost went on to choose another. Reading one blurb after another of student experiences, I found myself hungry for what different students looked for in the classroom. This article has helped me better understand what students enjoy and why. Sure, I know what I enjoy as a student, I know what my education courses have taught me that students enjoy, but these student reflections give raw instances of school activities that made them feel themselves to be beyond the assignment.

            Thrilled to see my thinking is on the right track in wanting my students to understand world events, digest, and discuss them, the “Challenge Me to Think” response was encouraging. The student felt bored in class when the teacher simply went over the textbook in their history class. When the substitute came in and had the courage to change the class around, to get them out of their seats and debate what was going on, connect history to the present, I felt the courage to do the same with my class. Books read won’t be assigned simply because they are of the canon or because I find them important as the teacher, they will be connected with student lives, read to make students consider a different point of view from what they hear on the news or in society.

            Choking me up with its simplicity, my favorite student reflection was “Show Me I Can Make a Difference.” This reflection helped me to see that my students and I can have a large impact on our community. As a classroom, we do not need to wait for the school to set up a fundraiser or project to help reach out to others. Adamant about homeless outreach, I am excited to be able to inspire my students to learn the reasons behind homelessness, how other countries fair on the same issue. If I have a mature and old enough class, I would even like to give extra credit to students who volunteer at a Soup Kitchen and write a brief reflection. Though I would not normally give extra credit left and right, I feel that if I can encourage students to mature in their understanding and possibly become more enlightened by the experience, it is worthwhile.

            There was one disheartening response from a student in “Point Me Toward My Goals.” The student simply saw high school as a means to an end, thinking only college and future careers to be fun and enriching. I greatly enjoyed my high school experience, especially the feeling of community involvement that one feels there that may not be satisfied in college or in a career. This reflection does make me want to change this outlook for students who feel this way. High school can be one of the best times of a student’s academic life!

            Glad to have read the article, I now feel as though I understand what students want from a classroom experience. At every age, the response seems universal that they crave independence and to make an impact on themselves, others, and the community.