Hamish Brewer, in his TED talk “How Radical Love Transformed A School” shares some of the dramatic changes he implemented to give hope back to a school and a school back to its community. Quote a line from this video and tell why these words of his resonate with you. How does the quote you’ve chosen impact your teaching? What does the quote you’ve chosen inspire you to do?
"Our children are an opportunity not an obligation" really stuck out to me. I think about what brings the most joy to me or what is my "why" when it comes to teaching and it is this. I have an opportunity to make a positive impact on my students. To be a safe person for all my students, to be someone they can look up to, and someone who can show them that they are important.
ReplyDeleteThere were so many inspiring quotes, it’s hard to choose just one. I think the one that sticks out the most to me is, “Don’t teach out of fear, teach out of passion and remember why you started”. I can remember as a new teacher how scared I was to get anything wrong. I feared how being wrong with anything might impact students learning and how they viewed me as their leader. As the years passed I learned more and more each year how to teach with passion and not fear. I obviously learned to be a better teacher and how I could influence and build better relationships by being me and being passionate in how I taught. This quote truly inspires me to continue to show passion to my students. I want them to know that I care deeply about them and truly want each and every one of them to find success.
ReplyDeleteThere were two quotes two quotes that resonate with me.
ReplyDelete1. "Don't teach out of fear, relax, let go. Teach authentic relevant learning experience. Teach out of passion and remember why you started."
How does this impact my teaching? It helps me to focus on why I became a teacher, to touch children's lives and to remember the energy I taught with when I started. It also helped me to remember to make teaching real, it will be a lot more fun.
What does it inspire me to do? I am evaluating what I teach and thinking about how to make it more real and fun, not just following what the teacher before did, or teach the way the book says.
2. "Our children are an opportunity, not an obligation.:"
Why does this resonate? This gave me a gut punch. I am ashamed to admit that I have looked at some of my students like they are a burden and not shown love. That mindset has to stop. I need to look at each and everyone of my students as a redeemed child of God, that he has given me to train and to help them grow.
What does it inspire me to do? It inspires me to remember the wonderful opportunity God has given me to touch children's lives and to help nurture them as they grow. I do not have to teach them, I GET TO TEACH THEM.
"Stay grounded, stay focused, stay humble, build strong relationships....you can't serve somebody that you think your better than."
ReplyDeleteThis quote resonated me in many different ways. It is easy to get caught up in the day to day routines where we lose focus on the things mentioned in the quote above. It was a reminder that it takes effort, care and humility every single day to serve our students. It is sometimes our nature to be cynical or grow tired of our students. This quote is the truth on what it takes. Every day effort, we can be lazy and go through the motions or we can stay focused, humble and ready to serve.
"What is the most important thing in the world? It is the people, it is the people, it is the people!"
ReplyDeleteBefore teaching eighth grade English for 20 years, I taught at an alternative high school. These students had been unsuccessful in the traditional high school and were placed here to try a different learning environment. I 100% agree that relationships are of the utmost importance. If a relationship is not formed between you and your student and no connection is made, the teaching/ learning relationship will be strained. Students must feel the love you have for them in order to feel comfortable asking for help, sharing feelings and situations that may be hampering their success.
Wow--so many quotes, it's hard to choose just one. "Children are an opportunity, not an obligation" is one that sticks with me. I feel this way about my own child, but I'm not sure I used either of these words to describe my students. It's true though; we should see the opportunities in our students. We help shape them into the people they will become, and it's our duty (and our privilege) to do the best we can for them. We must "advocate for every child". It breaks my heart to hear of teens choosing suicide, and I understand when he says he'd give it all up to have one more conversation with that child. We don't always know what's going through our students' minds or what their homelife is like. So we must do all we can to be there for them and push them to be their best and to feel that sense of pride and accomplishment. I also cannot understand a teacher who would tell a parent that their child is dumb. The obstacles Mr. Brewer had to overcome to get where he is today--how amazing!
ReplyDeleteWow! It is so difficult to pick just one quote. The whole episode was so inspiring, and I just kept thinking that I wish the school district I formally taught for had this type of leadership. The opportunities that can be obtained by students and faculty are absolutely endless with this mindset. The quote that keeps coming back to me is "Children are an opportunity, not an obligation." When I taught kindergarten, I approached every day as an adventure. We began and ended each day outlining our adventures. One vital memory I have from my kindergarten days was a day we had a substitute support staff enter our room. One young man immediately said, "Hello, are you ready for an adventure because if you are not you can leave." This was so pivotal for me because I realized that this group of children was open to embracing absolutely anything presented to them. The quote reminds me of this instance and I will strive to continue providing adventures to all of the families I serve.
ReplyDeleteThis whole video, in its entirety, resonated with me! It is hard to just pick one quote. I was born and raised on the Rosebud Indian Reservation where poverty is so abundant. Grandparents raising their grandkids, multiple families living in a single-family home, and drugs and alcohol are so prevalent. It's sad to see that it has been "normalized". The high suicide rate of teens and young adults hit me the hardest. When I became a teacher I worked on the reservation where I grew up. I wanted to have a positive impact on the children who grew up in this "normal" environment. I made it a point to get to know my students as a person, their home environment, and their values and beliefs. I wanted them to know that someone, me, did care about them.
ReplyDeleteLove the whole presentation! When he said, "Every child is an opportunity, not an obligation," is one that caught my attention. This resonated with me because the "tough" kids that I case manage so often are looked at as all the stuff we are required to do within the special education world. I know they are so much more than that. I know where they can go, what they can be, what they love, who loves them, and the person they are. This quote impacts my teaching because it gives me the reminder that I am doing good by focusing on the humans in front of me, by pushing them to do their best, and by believing in them. It reminds me that they are more than the paperwork, the calls, or the checking off the to list items for each of them. That is all needed, but it is the obligation. The rest is the opportunity. It inspires me to go "one more round" and continue doing what is best for the students.
ReplyDeleteThe quote that really hit home for me was "Don't teach out of fear, relax, let go. Teach out of passion, remember why you started" We teach to much technology because our curriculum is STEAM based. Because I am the oldster of my staff, I don't always catch on as fast. I am often scared to teach the new lessons, because I don't feel comfortable with the technology. I want to make sure I am perfect with the lesson before I want to even attempt to teach it. I need to remember, the students have never had this lesson before, so they don't know what "perfect" is. They also struggle with the technology at times when it's brand new, so the admission that I'm not perfect at it often puts them more at ease. Students need to see their teachers as humans, and nothing does that faster than messing up a lesson and having to fix it. I am getting better at just jumping in, especially when my co-teachers make me. I usually do a fine job at it, I just need to have more confidence in myself and realize if I make a mistake, it's not the end of the world.
ReplyDeleteThis statement, "You can't serve someone you think you're better than," is incredibly powerful and resonates deeply, not just in teaching but in every aspect of our lives. It emphasizes that true service and support can only happen when we approach others with humility, respect, and empathy. If we carry the belief that we are superior to those we are trying to help, our ability to genuinely assist them is compromised. As educators and as individuals, we must set aside judgment and treat everyone as equals, acknowledging their worth and potential. This mindset is crucial in helping others reach their fullest potential. When we model this respect and open-mindedness, it doesn’t just benefit the people we serve; it also teaches them the importance of equality and kindness, encouraging them to carry those values forward. Hamish Brewer exemplifies this approach through his actions and words, showing us how to embody this principle in our own work and interactions, both in the classroom and beyond.
ReplyDelete"Every child deserves an advocate" and "Build strong relationships" are both quotes I heard that resonate with me. I thrive on building relationships with my students. I think it's so important that my students know I care about them and I am here for them. I want them to feel safe with me and know that I am their advocate. I'll never forget 3 years ago when a student told me she loved me walking out the door one day. Honestly, I was taken back. My instinct was to say "I love you too". After she left, I instantly thought, "Oh no. Am I going to get in trouble for saying I love you to a student?". I then immediately thought "You know what? My students need to know I love them too". I care about them like I care about my own children. That one child then started a chain reaction. I had about half of my class start telling me they loved me as they walked out of my classroom every day for the rest of the year. I said I love you back to every single one of them. Hamish is right. People don't hear I love you often enough. These kids need to know we are their advocates. I am proud to have built strong enough relationships with my students that they can tell me they love me and know that I love them right back!
ReplyDeleteHamish Brewer, in his TED talk “How Radical Love Transformed A School” shares some of the dramatic changes he implemented to give hope back to a school and a school back to its community. Quote a line from this video and tell why these words of his resonate with you. How does the quote you’ve chosen impact your teaching? What does the quote you’ve chosen inspire you to do?
ReplyDelete"It is the people, the people, the people." This has to be at the forefront of our teaching. It is so easy to get caught up in schedules, grading, planning, and meetings in the educational world. The kids, the families, the relationships with colleagues. This is the true meaning of education. It's important we meet people where they're at and remember that as Brewer said, families are sending schools their most prized possessions. As a U.S. History teacher, I teach about people all day long. It's so fun to watch students connect to various historical characters and provide evidence as to their positive and negative actions that shaped the country as we know it today. This quote inspires me to to "go one more round" with a kid that is on my last nerve to remember that people are the most important aspect of our job.
Hamish Brewer, in his TED talk “How Radical Love Transformed A School” shares some of the dramatic changes he implemented to give hope back to a school and a school back to its community. Quote a line from this video and tell why these words of his resonate with you. How does the quote you’ve chosen impact your teaching? What does the quote you’ve chosen inspire you to do?
ReplyDeleteThe quote that struck me the most was "Children are an opportunity, not an obligation." There is a certain mindset that needs to be in the forefront when your chosen profession is education. It is so easy to get bogged down and forget that you are choosing to be there. Keeping this foresight at the front of your mind and remembering this is an opportunity is a mindset that will help when things get tough and you need to "go one more round." There is a difference in the districts, administration, teachers that remember that students are an opportunity, not an obligation.
“My staff had been teaching out of compliance, ticking the box, looking for motivation, inspiration, looking to be unleashed. I said to my staff, “Relax. I love you. I got your back. Let go. Teach on fire, you have the green light. Teach authentic, relevant learning experiences and don’t teach out of fear - teach out of passion and remember why you started.”
ReplyDeleteThis quote really resonated with me because a month and a half ago I was hesitant to put up my Black History Month Bulletin Board. This was partially because of all of the government changes affecting education and partially because I was scared of upsetting parents with some of those truths. I was hesitant to read Stella by Starlight with my 8th graders because in a high poverty district, the population is very divided on politics – how would the parents react when their kid came home talking about the KKK? I ultimately decided to do both, because I am passionate about educating students on the truth of our history.
So much of education is focused on teaching to the standardized test at the end of the year. Even if we choose to say it is not a big deal, and we are teaching students not standards, the results of that test are what we are judged on by our school board and community. If students don’t do well, the automatic assumption is that the teachers did not adequately prepare them.
At the very end of the TED Talk, Hamish wraps it all up with question, "What is the most important thing in the world?" And he answers the question with this, "It is the people. It is the people. It is the people." I believe this is what it all comes down to: people. I have been in school districts that place so much emphasis on test scores and policies that they forget that the students and staff are people. This is a grave mistake. Every person needs to feel valued and loved first and foremost. Amish not only loves his students, but he loves and backs his staff and the families and community. He stated that they do not just enroll students, they enroll families. Every student, every family, and every staff member has to be valued and cared for. Every singe child deserves an advocate. This is what drives my teaching. This is what really matters. This TED talk has inspired me to remember that!
ReplyDelete“Stay grounded because you can’t serve somebody that you think your better than”
ReplyDeleteI find these words important because I’ve had these negative thoughts about kids before when I get my roster, I’d look at it and go “oh no I’ve got that kid again.” I should never have thought that and looking back I know I would have had a better experience with this kid if I would have just sat down and talked to him or asked around and got a little background on him and understood he was only acting out because he had it rough and I didn’t make it better when I could have. I am currently not teaching but one thing that resonates with me is that I need to stay humble, stay grounded because you aren’t better than anyone else and now with sending my kids to school its an important lesson to teach them.
Hamish Brewer, in his TED talk “How Radical Love Transformed A School” shares some of the dramatic changes he implemented to give hope back to a school and a school back to its community. Quote a line from this video and tell why these words of his resonate with you. How does the quote you’ve chosen impact your
ReplyDeleteteaching? What does the quote you’ve chosen inspire you to do?
I think the quote that struck me the most was the we , as educators, are entrusted with people's most prize possession(s); their children. It does not matter the circumstance they live in they are the most important thing that we are responsible for. Every student and every family needs to feel the love and to know that the teachers and administrators at their school have their back.
I need to remember no matter how much the student may be getting on my last nerve that they are someone's child and deserve respect and love no matter how annoyed I might be with them in regards to schoolwork or behavior.
“You see the power of love, you see what we just did? Imagine if every school had that feeling and sense of pride and love in their building. I tell you what make sure that you use that word and share it because you never know when the last time will be when you hear that word this year.”
ReplyDeleteThe word love holds so much power, especially in early childhood education. In my preschool classroom, telling children, “I love you” or expressing love in nurturing ways can have deep emotional and developmental benefits. It made me reflect on how I react when my students say “I love you” during calendar or in the middle of a lesson. There are times where I feel it can be disruptive and get annoyed. But the spontaneous outburst of love can be a testament to the safe and nurturing environment I have created. I always have shy students or students who struggle to say, “I love you” and I believe those are the ones who need to hear it the most and need me to continue to model love in different ways to let them know they are loved. It is such a beautiful reminder that love, even in the loudest chaotic preschool moments, is never wasted.
I liked when he said "we don't enroll students we enroll families". He goes onto say how they stopped requiring families to 'pay for opportunities' for their kids. All the kids were given the same opportunities. Families were allowed to be involved in ways that they weren't allowed or given the opportunity before. I believe that when you get families to back the school, families involved in the school, something changes with the students as well. Everyone has the same goal, to love and educate the kids!
ReplyDelete"The most important thing in the world - the people, the people, the people" These words are a reminder that we are not only teaching a subject, but more importantly we are teaching our students (people) and we work with teachers, and parents (people). Relationships are the most important part of teaching. We are a team, we are there for each other. Teamwork makes the dream work. Every person matters.
ReplyDelete"Imagine if every school had that sense of pride and love in their building" and "Every single child deserves to have an advocate, an adult, somebody they can turn to, somebody that cares about them".
ReplyDeleteI think these go hand in hand. If we have pride and love in our building that should be obvious to the students around us. They should know without a doubt we are there because we care about them and want them to be able to come to us. I think it is the same for coworkers - our pride and love should be for each other as well. Adults also need people who care about them and if we are providing this community for each other we will be more available for our students as well.
Hampshire says that it’s not how much money is in your bank account at the end of your life that makes you successful, but what legacy you leave. I totally agree with this comment. SD educators are at the bottom for teacher pay, but we teach to make a difference. I want my students to leave our school feeling loved, a backpack full of knowledge, and the ability to go out & make a difference in the world- to make the world a better place. I definitely do not teach for the money, but I care about each & every student. I hope they know they can do anything that they set their minds to.
ReplyDelete"I want you to turn and talk to the person next to you and tell them how much they mean to you and how much you love them" I really like how much the audience first giggled almost like a nervous and unbelievable laugh. He turned this into how we have to show our people how we love them and let them know frequently and tied it into his recent experience of losing a student to suicide. This resonates with me because I've lost people to suicide as well, and this inspires me that it should be encouraged to have people explain to each other that they're special, they matter, they're loved in addition to me feeling like I need to myself.
ReplyDeleteThere were so many great quotes in this TED talk; but here are two that resonated with me. Hamish said, "we had fun again, we believed in our students" and "let's be authentic, revelant, and real." I believe as educators we are so focused on test scores that many teachers are falling into being "paper pushers." I think it is important to make learning fun again - play games while learning the skills, tell stories while teaching to not only make the lesson more interesting and relevant, but to spark curiosity and discussions. I find that tying personal stories and experiences to the lesson helps to connect with my students on a personal level, which allows me to build strong teacher-student relationships.
ReplyDeleteHamish Brewer, in his TED talk “How Radical Love Transformed A School” shares some of the dramatic changes he implemented to give hope back to a school and a school back to its community. Quote a line from this video and tell why these words of his resonate with you. How does the quote you’ve chosen impact your teaching? What does the quote you’ve chosen inspire you to do?
ReplyDelete"The prize in life, It's not about how rich you are, how much money you make, how much money is in your bank account, or the possessions that you own." This resonates with me because this is also where I started, with little to nothing. It impacts my teaching by reminding me of what these kids have and where they come from. It inspires me to teach these students the best I can, so they might be able to use an ability or something that I taught them later in life to help improve their own life.
The quote that stood out to me was: "Every single child deserves to have an advocate...an adult, somebody they can turn to, somebody that cares about them."
ReplyDeleteAt our school we started a program called "student connections". At the beginning of the year, every teacher chooses about 20-30 students that would be 'theirs' for the year. Those students would be ones that that teacher would put extra effort into connecting with. Our goal was to make sure that every parent or guardian received a positive email about their child at some point during the school year, and for all students to have at least one teacher that they could connect with.
I try to form connections with all my students, of course. But with over 100 students in my classes, it becomes hard to form that personal relationship that can really make a student feel seen throughout their day. I love that we started this program and I do feel like it has made a difference in our school culture.
During Hamish's Ted Talk, I connected with the line "When no one is watching, we find out who you are." This line speaks to me because I am daily telling myself, my boys, and my students that I/they need to show integrity, even when no one is watching. It inspires me to be a better teacher in and out of the classroom. I strive to model for my students that it is important to do the right thing, which includes always being kind and trying to help others.
ReplyDeleteThis is Nicki Larrabee's comment.
Delete"Every single child deserves to have an advocate, an adult who cares about them". It's easy for me to have relationships with the good students and the ones you butt heads with and don't want to be in my class and cause issues, usually act that way in all their classes. I need to hear this because those students probably need love even more. In Chapter 1 or 2, Brewer said you can't look in a student's eyes and assume everything is alright. (I couldn't find the reference back.) They may have seen more in their lifetime then you have. You might be the only one who shows them love. Who is their cheerleader? You just don't know what is going on at home, so you have to be their advocate at school. Inspire them to want to be at school. Give them a sense of family and a purpose. Help them be involved in their education and let them know they are loved and wanted.
ReplyDeleteHamish Brewer, in his TED talk “How Radical Love Transformed A School” shares some of the dramatic changes he implemented to give hope back to a school and a school back to its community. Quote a line from this video and tell why these words of his resonate with you. How does the quote you’ve chosen impact your teaching? What does the quote you’ve chosen inspire you to do?
ReplyDeleteThere were many great quotes in his presentation. A quote that stuck out to me was, "Every single child deserves to have an advocate, an adult who cares about them." This pairs with him discussing that they don't enroll just students, they also enroll families. This brings the trifecta of student, teacher, and parents to create the perfect village of care and support. When a student is receiving this kind of care and encouragement, they are far less likely to fail.
I understand that this is not always the case and often times teachers are assume that role of advocating, but that ties into the next quote of it not being a obligation but an opportunity to work with kids. That mind set will push you to continue to go one more round and show up as the best educator you can be. Lastly, these quotes made think of another powerful educator, Rita Pierson, who quoted "Every child deserves a champion – an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection, and insists that they become the best that they can possibly be." It is our duty to show up and love these kids.
“What’s the most important thing in the world? It’s the people, the people, the people!” I couldn’t agree more. I’ve been teaching Social Studies at the ALC for the past 15 years, and during that time, most of my students have come from situations where they did not find success in a traditional setting. That experience has shown me just how important relationships are in education.
ReplyDeleteI really believe that as educators, we are in the business of sales, and what we are selling is education. If we don’t take the time to build real connections with our students, everything else becomes so much harder. You can have the best, most engaging lesson planned, but if your students don’t feel a connection with you, they are not going to buy in.
Students need to know you care about them before they will open up, ask for help, or trust you enough to really engage in learning. When students feel that you genuinely care, they are more likely to let you in, and that is when the real learning starts.
The quote "kids are an opportunity, not an obligation" is the line that resonates with me. I think just having that mindset is a great reminder for any educator to view things differently and go the extra mile for each and every kid. This will impact my teaching as it will help my attitude to be better when dealing with difficult students and students that have low motivation. It inspires me as I will look at it more as an opportunity to influence them and hopefully make a lasting impact. It also inspires me to use that view outside of the classroom in my coaching and with my family. It is a great view to have!
ReplyDeleteQuote a line from this video and tell why these words of his resonate with you. How does the quote you’ve chosen impact your teaching? What does the quote you’ve chosen inspire you to do?
ReplyDelete"Our children are an opportunity, not an obligation."
I want my students to enter my room and feel like my day's highlight was the fact that they are there. I have students who often hear and feel the message that they aren't good enough, smart enough, etc. Even with my toughest student, I am inspired to look that student in the eyes, beam a huge smile, and greet them not only as if they mattered, but greet them because they DO matter. If I can genuinely convey that, students will also start to believe it.
He said several things that resonated with me, one being how he would say, “I love you” on the speaker each morning. I grew up in a house that always said “I love you” and I always told (and still do each day) my oldest daughter that I love her. I just thought that was normal to tell your kids that, then I started dating my now husband and even though he came from a good, 2-parent home, he said it wasn’t something that was ever said. So I do understand Disney kids never hear it and it think it makes sense to say that although for some it may be hard to do. Another thing he talked about was going through a brick wall for his students and staff. That is some serious live he has for the others in his school. Those students and staff are so fortunate to have an admin who cares so much.
ReplyDeleteThe quote that resonated with me was “You can’t serve someone you think you are better than”. This statement made me think about how humans often judge each other based on clothing, appearance, and word choices. People often make quick decisions about others based on these qualities. These preconceived notions can result in treating individuals differently. I believe that all children have gifts and talents that need to be developed. This starts with helping them realize that others are not better than them. They can achieve greatness despite where they come from! I am going to make it my mission to help my students realize that they can and will be successful by working hard, being a team player, and loving others. I will encourage them to look past others outside exterior and give people a chance to show you who they truly are!
ReplyDeleteHamish Brewer, in his TED talk “How Radical Love Transformed A School” shares some l and a school back to its community. Quote a line from this video and tell why these words of his resonate with you. How does the quote you’ve chosen impact your teaching? What does the quote you’ve chosen inspire you to do?
ReplyDelete"Don't teach out of fear, teach out of passion. Remember what we started when we came together the first day." I think as teachers we can sometimes feel over obligated with extra duties and other things that take our time and focus. It can feel overwhelming at times. I think this quote is a great reminder to remember the fundamentals and what is important. Remember your goals as a teacher. This quote inspires me to take back my power and teach from the heart.
There were so many great thoughts and ideas that Mr. Brewer brought to light in a short 16 minute video. I wrote down several quotes - but the one that sticks out to me the most is "you can't serve somebody that you think you're better than". This resonates with me because I have talks often with my juniors and seniors about living a life of service. I am fortunate to have an opportunity to speak with my seniors before they graduate and offer them my few words of advice. I always tell them that the sooner they find a way to serve others - in any capacity (jobs, church, neighbors, etc.) - the sooner they will feel fulfilled in life. This quote sticks out because it adds a deeper meaning to something I already share with my students. Instead of just serving others - they need to be humble and remember you can't serve anyone if you think you're better than them. I grew up in the not "normal" household. Divorced parents since I was 6 months old, they lived across country from each other, moving from AZ to SD, leaving a stepdad and half-sister behind, poor. I wouldn't change that for anything now. My upbringing and experiences make this quote so meaningful in that I did feel below others growing up. Because of that I feel I can relate to my students in some pretty special ways and I can make sure to share the message of serving others - especially with a humble heart.
ReplyDeleteThere were so many quotes that stood out in this video. One is "When no one is watching, we find out who you are." I hope that I teach my students that is not about the choices you make when your teacher or another adult is watching. Its about the choices you make when you are hanging out with your friends and no one is watching. I want to teach this not only to my students but to my own kids as well.
ReplyDeleteThere were so many good quotes but the one I wished more teachers heard from their admin was: Relax, I love you, I got your back, let go, teach on fire, you have the green light. Remember why you started. I had a wonderful principal that said something similar to us, "I want you to make mistakes. You learn so much from doing so." I definitely went out of my box while he was my principal because I never felt like I was going to be judged. I wish everyone got to experience that while teaching. I'm hoping I will get to feel that way again sometime soon!
ReplyDeleteHamish Brewer, in his TED talk “How Radical Love Transformed A School” shares some of the dramatic changes he implemented to give hope back to a school and a school back to its community. Quote a line from this video and tell why these words of his resonate with you. How does the quote you’ve chosen impact your teaching? What does the quote you’ve chosen inspire you to do?
ReplyDelete"Every single child deserves to have an advocate, an adult who cares about them." This really resonated with me. Years ago, I was teaching middle school in Rapid City. A couple of weeks into the school year, we would sit down and create a list of students that might need extra love. We would then split the list and become an advocate for those students. We checked in on everyone, but pay special attention to our students. This was great because when we had information about one of our angels, we would pass it along. The kids sometimes ebbed and flowed between us. I came into team meeting one day and said, "I can't love Rayne anymore, she's drained me." One of my co-workers said she was getting along great with her, but struggling with another. So we traded. I still loved Rayne, but was able to move out of her firing zone for a bit, still knowing she had an advocate. Even after I left that school, the lesson always stuck with me. I don't have a team next year, but I still hope to find the best in each of my students and advocate for them.
"Life is about the opportunity that you get to impact the world around you, to make a difference, to leave a legacy." Even on the bad days, or the days that I'm not able to give 100%, it is an opportunity to impact a student's or colleague's day. Big or small doesn't matter, all that matters is that it's a difference/impact. Sometimes small impacts ripple into a bigger impact. I need to remember that what we do every day is an opportunity, and not everyone gets that same opportunity.
ReplyDelete"Relax, I love you, I've got your back, let go, teach on fire, you have the green light...teach out of passion and remember why you've started." Students need us to be authentic. When we care about them, they're more willing to learn from us. When we're excited about what we are doing, that excitement catches and students buy in.
Hamish Brewer, in his TED talk “How Radical Love Transformed A School” shares some of the dramatic changes he implemented to give hope back to a school and a school back to its community. Quote a line from this video and tell why these words of his resonate with you. How does the quote you’ve chosen impact your teaching? What does the quote you’ve chosen inspire you to do?
ReplyDeleteI am choosing his last 3 phrases, "It is the people. It is the people. It is the people." I've chosen this last part to quote because it truly is what everything comes down to. The people in our lives, the people in our schools (staff and students), families of students, our own families, our neighbors, etc.
Keeping the people, my students, their families and my co-workers at the forefront of what I do in my teaching career, allows me to better serve my community. Sharing my love and understanding with people will hopefully show my students how to show their love and understanding so that together we can spread greatness out into the world.
Hamish Brewer, in his TED talk “How Radical Love Transformed A School” shares some of the dramatic changes he implemented to give hope back to a school and a school back to its community. Quote a line from this video and tell why these words of his resonate with you. How does the quote you’ve chosen impact your teaching? What does the quote you’ve chosen inspire you to do?
ReplyDelete"Don't teach out of fear, teach out of passion and remember why you started." This quote from Hamish Brewer hit home to me. There are days where teaching can be challenging for me and my students. On hard days, you have to remember of the impact you are making on students. That is the whole reason I got into teaching was because of my dad being a teacher. He had a huge impact on students and athletes because he cared for them and was compassionate for them.
This quote inspires me to never give up and to keep building positive relationships with students. You never know what kind of impact you may have on an individual. It could end up being life changing.
So many great quotes from Hamish Brewer! "Stay grounded, stay focused, stay humble, build strong relationships..... you can't serve someone you think you are better than". What great advice for life. That is a powerful message for all people to hear. I also loved "raise the expectation for all of us, raise the expectation of our students". I think sometimes as a school we do a great job of this, and sometimes we don't. The importance of modeling what we expect from our students is so important, and they are always watching.
ReplyDelete"Our children are not an obligation. Our children are an opportunity!" Wow, talk about powerful. Every student that walks through the doors of my school, or into my school counseling office is an opportunity for me to develop a new relationship. It's an opportunity for me to model to that student what a healthy self-worth looks like, what it feels like for an adult to care, and that I am not giving up on them.
ReplyDeleteHamish had so many quotes that resonated with me throughout that Tedx talk, but that one really sticks with me. It's all about relationships. If I forget that every student is an opportunity, I will lose out on developing those strong relationships and helping that student through struggles or getting them to help themselves through challenging times. l
“What’s the most important thing in the world? It’s the people, the people, the people!”
ReplyDeleteThis quote resonates with me because it is what I got into teaching for. The people. The kids. He also talks about how teacher try to check so many boxes. I sometimes feel like that is what our job has turned into instead of serving our children, giving them what they need, we are trying to jump through all of these other hoops that really don't matter like state testing. It always comes back to what is most important to us in our classroom. Is it the scores? curriculum? grading? checklist? No. It is our students and their families that are the most important to us and who we want to help grow to be good humans.
I know the assignment states one quote but there are three quotes that really stuck out to me:
ReplyDelete1. "Some of our students are just trying to make it each and every day." My superindendent likes to make the statement that what parents are sending us are truly their best. Our students lives outside of the school are drastically changing, and not always for the better. This past year, out of my 20 advisory students I have 5 that lived at home with both parents; 6 with non parents and 2 in foster care. Their lives are so rough at home that I can truly imagine what their day is like sitting and trying to focus when they have no goal or plans except surviving.
2. "Don't teach out of fear, teach out of passion and remember why we started!" I worked in a building where I would bring ideas to my principal and he would always find me money to try them. My students were always engaged and applying the content in a variety of ways. I was moved to another building and level and I have not had that same freedom. I have been told that we just don't do things that way here. Two schools within the same district with very distinct messages. I would love to just not care and teach my way again :)
3. "We raise the exceptions for all our us and we raise the expectations of our students." When we challenge our students, we need to be willing to be challenged ourselves. We need to be willing to walk along them to help them work through the higher expectations and to see their true potential. The last two years I have taught AP Biology and at the end of the year, the students have all commented how much they felt that a class that could have been overwhelming was easier knowing I was right there with them, wanting them to succeed!
We have to model what we want from our students and then be there along the way to help them be successful!
Quote a line from this video and tell why these words of his resonate with you. How does the quote you’ve chosen impact your teaching? What does the quote you’ve chosen inspire you to do?
ReplyDeleteThe quote from the video post that stood out to me was “Children are an opportunity, not an obligation." We are teachers because we want to help children become successful human beings. We do that by teaching them. I teach science. Several students come into my class not liking science for one reason or another. This situation is an excellent opportunity to change that mindset. I do this by building relationships and providing hands-on opportunities for my students. I like to say I teach the whole child. I teach science, but I also teach social-emotional skills. In my classroom students are allowed to make mistakes. I try and help students find ways to develop appropriate social skills when working with their peers.
Children are the reason teachers have a job. Each child has the potential to learn. The learning looks different, but each child is capable of growing academically, mentally, socially, and emotionally. Every student I have had in class has provided me with an opportunity to make a difference and to learn as well. I can show each student that learning is never-ending. We are always learning. I teach them how to navigate and overcome obstacles. The power of yet (one more round). We have to keep getting better. This is a duty I take very seriously every year. Mr. Brewer's quote holds true to all levels of education
He talks about staying focused and grounded. I think this is important as well. I was not very good at this last year. I always felt a little disjointed. There was so much to do and never enough time to do it all. I see now that I was not focused on one thing at a time, I tried to do it all at once and that, for me, does not work well. I have to slow down, be focused, and stay grounded in the here and now.
ReplyDeleteI think this thought will be the best advice I can give myself for next year. I think I will write it on something and put it on my desk at the beginning of next year to inspire me work better not harder.
"If somebody today didn't tell you they love you, Mr. Brewer is telling you he loves you" The power of love is pretty powerful. I don't go as far as telling my students I verbally love them, but there is a teacher whose classroom I share often and that happened all day long to the most difficult kids in the school. That has always stuck out to me. I think that advice is pretty powerful and while I don't have to say it, I can do things to show it.
ReplyDeleteI choose the following quote from Hamish Brewer, "Stay grounded, stay focused, stay humble, build strong relationships..... you can't serve someone you think you are better than". This quote resonates with me because sometimes when I hustle and bustle I lose sight of the big idea. The students need me to focus so that they can organize the new information in their brains. My job is to deliver the lesson in a way that is easy for them to understand and retrieve. I can only do that if I am grounded and focused. Humility and strong relationships make the students more likely to attend to me as I teach. This past semester a couple of my students and I stopped seeing eye to eye. I wonder as the end of the year finished out if they saw me as humble and wanting a relationship with them. I doubt it. They may have thought that I didn't want to serve them. This quote impacts my teaching because at the end of the day I do want to do right by my students. This quote inspires me to role play scenarios that are more common in my classroom so that I will have a response instead of a reaction. I want to find a better solution so everyone keeps their dignity even when what the students are doing is against the school rules. With a better/different approach (without feeling like students were targeted or backed into a corner), I wonder how the rest of the year could have played out....
ReplyDeleteThe quote that stuck out to me "every single child deserves to have an advocate, an adult who cares about them". Many students enter my room with more on their mind than what is being taught in science. Some are struggling with some tough issues that are out of their control. I want to be the person that is there to help them with anything and hopefully by being in my room it helps them forget the tough stuff and just be a kid. I want students to know that I will be there to help with anything that comes their way. The inspiration for next year is to find a connection with ALL my students and be there to listen to them when they want to talk.
ReplyDelete"You can't serve somebody you think you are better than" This quote resonates with me in two ways. First, the idea that we serve students and families. I think we lose sight of that often as educators. We start to think it is about us. We are there for them and we need to keep that in the forefront of our minds. Second, the idea that we need to be building relationships with students. We are not better than them or their families. We see a lot of poverty in our school but people are people. We need to build those relationships with them and show them that we love them and have their back.
ReplyDeleteThe quote I chose is: "We need to be the advocate for every child.".
ReplyDeleteI teach early childhood special education, and these students and families need me to be there for them daily.
By being there for these families I believe in all of my students and help families with daily needs, resources, provide parents with ideas of what they can do at home to help their children. I am also there to tell the parents that their child will be successful!!
Being an advocate affects my teaching as I form relationships with my students to help them learn and know where they are at developmentally to help each student be successful. All of my students are learning differently and at different points in their social skills, adaptive skills, communication and cognitive skills. My students make small gains but by the end of the year I can see major progress. Helping families to see this so that they can feel that their child is successful is wonderful!
This quote inspires me to love every child as they are all successful in their own way. It also reminds me how important it is for me to communicate with ALL families so that I can be the advocate for EVERY child.
"Every single child deserves to have an advocate"
ReplyDeleteEvery student deserves to feel supported and know that they have someone in their counter, someone who will listen to them, someone who will give them advice when they need it. We are more than just teachers. We can some of these student's lifeline. Being a teenager is not easy, and many students come from broken or rough homes. School is a safe space for many students. This is why relationships are so important. We create these relationships with students to show they that they can be successful no matter their background or what is going on in their life. School can be an escape from them. It's important to always check in on our students, even if they don't want to talk. For many of them, just knowing that you care or are trying to make an effort will have an impact on them.
“We need to be the advocate for every single child. We need to be the voice for the silent voice, every single child deserves to have an advocate, an adult, somebody they can turn to, somebody that cares about them.” This quote resonates with me because it reminds me about how important relationships are and how important it is that every student has a person they can go to when they need someone to talk to. This quote will impact my teaching as I look to start a check-in program with all my students. I want to have all my students complete a check-in sheet about how they are feeling that day, and then throughout the week, meet with several students one-on-one before class starts to see how they are doing. I hope to be able to make it to each student more than once each week. This quote has inspired me to always remember the importance of relationship building, even with the students who challenge me the most.
ReplyDelete"Stay grounded, stay focused, stay humbled, to build strong relationships, to care about my kids, to care about my community and to care about those students, because you can't serve somebody that you think you're better than." Working at a high poverty school for 9 years, this quote definitely resonates with me. I've had the privilege of teaching some of the most broken children you could think of. These students know from the first conversation if you truly care about them or are all show. If they think you are fake, there is nothing that you can say to them that will change their mind. You won't be able to have honest conversations, know what they go home to every night, know why they are tired everyday if you think you are better than them. They need to know you care and are not going to judge. These students need to know they can come to school and that at least one adult cares about them. Teachers just need to be honest and show that they care about their students and not just about test scores.
ReplyDelete"You can't serve somebody that you think you are better than." This resonated during the first chapters of the book as every piece of success I've had in my life, I owe to the relationships I've cultivated along the way. You can't truly learn about your students, your co-workers, your school, or your community unless you take the initiative to ask questions and listen. When I'm in the classroom, like all teachers, the first few days involve getting to know our student's names, going over class expectations, and giving everyone a general outline of what they can expect from me. I try to make this more personal by giving them an early glimpse of who I am by talking about my past (an unconventional path to teaching). I then ask them to give me insight into who they are. This helps me get to know them a bit, but I try to incorporate their interests, hopes, and fears into my lessons so they can make personal connections. This type of relationship building has served me well throughout the years. This quote justifies what I've been doing and inspires me to find new ways to keep relationship building in the classroom and in the school. I think this fosters a certain positivity that is infectious for everyone.
ReplyDeleteI really liked the quote, "You can't serve someone you think you're better than." I think this quote not only pertains to your school but also in your life. There are many people out there who think they are far better than their neighbor. We all know one or more people like this. Everyday in my classroom I am working on relationships. I want my learners to want to come to school everyday and not dread it each morning. By building relationships early on and continuing to do so, you also gain their respect.
ReplyDelete"let's be authentic, relevant, and real." I left one school district for the one I'm teaching now in order to be passionate about my subject matter by not teaching workbook pages, by doing projects instead, going on field trips, having guest speakers, etc. Making history (any subject) alive for the students requires many "volunteer" hours outside the workday and in the summer to teach about cultures as people worth knowing. Our students and families are worth our dedication, wisdom, and passion.
ReplyDeleteA few things Hamish said that stuck out to me were "Be Authentic, Relevant and Real," I live by this everyday. I like to "Live out Loud" meaning, some people might call me weird, or crazy, but if my kids do something amazing that we have been working really hard on, I will scream out loud, jump up and down and be the most excited one in the room for them. My students LOVE this about me. I don't hold back. As for Hamish talking about LOVE. I tell my students all of the time, I love them, and it does make a HUGE difference in how they work and learn. They want to be a part of my classroom, they tell me, how did 25 minutes pass already, they don't want music class to be over. This year I resigned from my music position to take another position in my district and my students were crying and begging me not to leave. LOVE is the key to success. Another quote Hammish talked about was "Inspire, not Require" and also "Motivate, not Alienate". These are WONDERFUL quotes to live by. Inspiration can go along way. If you shut someone out, or shoot them down, who is going to help pick that student back up again. Very impressive Ted Talk!
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