Lesson 4 Response

What does it mean to be relational as a teacher? How will you interact with your students to accomplish this?

According to Martin Haberman, in the book Star Teachers, connecting with kids (or being relational) is about "establishing a positive relationship with the students" (2005, p. 9).

I will interact with my students each day with students in mind.  I will do my best to always try to connect with them, each day.  I will teach; however, I will also attempt to make connections.  According to the lesson, that is really important.  I especially find this true in Title I schools.  Being relational is about maintaining and establishing relationships.  This means being relational with other teachers, with administration, with students, and with all others on the school campus.  I will do my best to always care for the students.  I will do my best to look after them, and make sure that their best interests are in the forefront of my mind.

Lesson 3 Reflection

After watching the videos on Attention, Emotions and Learning, describe how this information impacts you as a teacher.

After watching the attention video, I was very surprised to find out that a lot of students' attention is due to how they were raised.  I also found that stress does a lot on the brain.  I think that I need to try to help them concentrate for longer periods of time.  I think it also makes my job more difficult.  I think that I have a lot to do above and beyond my duties, which I find extremely difficult.

After watching the emotions and learning video, I found that stress has a lot to do with emotions and learning.  I believe that a lot of the students I teach have difficulty with home lives.  I also believe that some of these students have had interactions that have been toxic to their brains.  While I believe that they can overcome this, I believe that it is difficult for some.  I think that I need to really do my best to provide a nurturing and non-stressful environment in the classroom, which I do not know how to do.  I believe I have taken a difficult teaching job, and I believe that even the seniors in college algebra have a lot of difficulties with math.