This We Believe

Ages 10 through 15 are such vital points in a students life. They are going through dramatic changes with their bodies and minds. At this age they could decide the fate of the rest of their life based on the good and bad decisions they are going to make. I want to be a teacher that will be there for my students and help them to get through all the rough spots so that their main focus can be their education. I know that all students are going to be different and that a lot may be difficult but I want to make sure that since they are so impressionable at that age that I make a god impression on them. I think it is important to know anything and everything about a student because what shapes their life is ultimately going to shape their education.

Being a middle school teacher or a teacher in general is about collaboration with everyone and anyone that is involved with the school. Teachers, students, schools administrators, and everyone in between need to work together to create the best environment possible for these students. It is important to know that as a teacher you are a role model for students and need to set an example as to how you want them to behave. This is why the mission statement is so important, because it really needs to reflect the school. It can be some generalized statement that could apply to any middle school, it really needs to reflect and influence the school that it represents. I really like that this book mentions that positive encouragement needs to be seen more than disciplinary comments. Students are going to thrive if their teachers can point out their strengths. It is better to tell students what they are doing right, even if it is slim picking, rather than telling them what they do wrong.

I like how This We Believe defined curriculum as more than just what is being taught in school but everything that encompasses it as well such as guidance and clubs. A very important thing for middle school teachers to do is design curriculum that can be made relevant to any students life if the teacher can tie it together in that manner for them. In the section dealing with the 21st century I was surprised to see no mention of technology. I think that technology plays a vital role in the world of rapidly expanding knowledge. Some kids are very technology savvy and can learn best through technology, and some students may not. Knowing how a student learns best is something a teacher has to take into account and constantly be aware of. Also students need to know what to expect from an assignment. It is best to give them a list of things that will be considered when grading the assignment so they know exactly what to include. Assessment and evaluation may be different but work together cohesively, so when one method changes so should the other.

The last sections deals with ways that various people involved in the middle school, such as principals, teachers, and parents can step aside and think what needs to be changed based on reading this book. Basically if you are not following any of their suggestions in the book then they recommend that you figure out what you are not following and implement it into the school in your own way. I agree with a lot of the points they make in this book but I do not think that a school has to follow their instructions exactly. Each school can implement some of these suggestions in ways that work with their individual school. Next the end of the book explains the different characteristics that make up a student at the middle school age. These characteristics should be taken into consideration when dealing with their education. It is important to better understand them in order to truly get through to them on an educational level. Without understanding there would be no point to education.