Chapter 1

I really like the quote from Tomlinson, “teachers who are willing to establish ties with students discover new depths of truth each day...”  This means many things to me.  First, exactly what it says is very true.  As a teacher interacts and establishes personal ties with his/her students they will learn more about their students everyday because the students will trust the teacher and confide more and more in them.  This statement also shows the flexability and vulnerability a teacher has to exhibit because there is no other way to learn "depths of new truths."  The best teacher is the one that is also a learner because they understand the learning process which helps them remember that they need to adapt their teaching to fit the needs of the individual learner. 

I also liked the quote at the very beginning of the chapter by Levine, "Schools are like airport hubs; student passengers arrive from many different backgrounds for widely divergent destinations. Their particular takeoffs into adulthood will demand different flight plans."  This hit me very strongly because it is such a perfect metaphor for the classroom.  Every child comes into a classroom with different story and background and they will leave as unique individuals as well.  It is what happens while they are in the classroom that will determine whether they are successful in where they go from there.  If we take the time to help each individual child and teach them what they need to know to be successful in life we are truly good teachers.

What do you see?

Just like in a field of flowers it is really the combination of the many different flowers that really makes it wonderful.  Anyone can see the beauty of the field from a distance but it is only those that take the time to look closely that really see the true potential and wonders that the field holds.  The same happens in a classroom.  When someone walks into an elementary school classroom they see the beauty of the class as a whole.  However, if the teacher gets to know their students they can really start to see these unique and wonderful differences that make up the beauty.  Every child is an individual that brings a different story and experience to the classroom and if we take the time to really learn and see them we can help our students succeed more than we could ever imagine.