PART TWO: THE METHOD

Summary
Rafe Esquith discusses the methods that he uses in his classroom that are successful. Although Rafe is a fifth grade teacher, it was not too difficult to mold Rafe's ideas to fit the secondary classroom. The format for the monthly book reports that Rafe uses with his students is a very effective way to assess and improve students' reading and writing skills. This is outlined on pages 55-58 of the text. One of the most important aspects of this section that was discussed was the importance and desire to start a book club, or several book clubs, for students, supervised by teachers after school. I plan to begin a literary book club next year that would be open to all students 8-12. Kathleen plans to read and discuss Rich Dad, Poor Dad with interested students. Bonnie and Jill are interested in starting a movie club as well next year. This would allow the opportunity for students to discover films they wouldn't normally view on their own and have an arena for discussing these films. We also discussed other arenas outside of the classroom that we could use to extend learning. A Shakespearean Festival or other event could be planned to extend learning and allow students to collaborate with peers and teachers outside of the classroom.

Quotes from part two
"I want my students to love to read. Reading is not a subject. Reading is a foundation of life, an activity that people who are engaged with the world do all the time" (Esquith 33).

"Children--even very bright ones--need guidance. Whether they are selecting food or literature, kids need our leadership to help them find the right path. I am not smarter than my students. But I know more than they do because I am older than they are. I know about fabulous books that they might not yet have come across. It is my job as their mentor to put these books in their hands" (Esquith 34-35).

"The best way to combat the indifference that surrounds our children is to take them to places where intelligence, enthusiasm, and a joy for reading are standard operating procedure" (Esquith 36). Or better yet, create this atmosphere in your own classroom!

"One of the misconceptions young people have today is that reading is something we study only during English class. This notion is absurd and must be countered. I've found that one of the best ways to do this is for all teachers to start book clubs" (Esquith 40).

"Young people who read for pleasure are able to make connections with the world around them and eventually grow to understand themselves on levels they never thought possible" (Esquith 42).

Study Group Summary

The group was on fire with the start of this book. During our first meeting, we explored Lawrence Kohlberg's Six Levels of Moral Development. A discussion about the importance of Level VI behavior in the classroom developed and different ideas/situations were discussed that pertained to individual classrooms as well as the building/district.

Quotes from the reading that evoked discussion/ideas:

"It's [Room 56] a world where character matters, hard work is respected, humility is valued, and support for one another is unconditional" (Esquith x).

"You must always try to see things from the child's point of view and never use fear as a shortcut for education" (Esquith 6).

"A classroom based on trust and devoid of fear is a fantastic place for kids to learn" (Esquith 13).

"We need to show our children that proper behavior is expected, not rewarded" (Esquith 17).

"We need to raise the bar for children precisely because so many kids are behaving so badly" (Esquith 24).

What I can do in my classroom!

As we read and share Rafe's success in room 56, we reflect on our own pedagogies. What did you discover while reading part II of the text that you plan on utilizing in your own classroom?

Fiery Hair

I'm heating up and ready to go with this book! When do we start? Bonnie