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#Post#: 117--------------------------------------------------
Harry Wong
DIR By: Rebecca
Date: July 30, 2011, 11:01 pm
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This week's reading seems timely as our new school year is just
a few weeks away! I highlighted a lot of information to refer to
as I start to prepare for this year. One thought that I found
particularly interesting suggests that teachers should not be
their students' friend. I think that line gets hazy with
Facebook and email. Should teachers friend their students on
Facebook or email students? Also, should students call us by our
first names or names such as Aunt Rebecca? Another area that
seems just as grey is professional attire. I guess for myself, I
think casual attire should not be worn by staff members. I think
that dressing appropriately says that school is important.
A quote that I really like is found on page 24. "Successful
people MAKE themselves do the things that unsuccessful people
will not do." When I think about this quote, it is really
true. We practice the piano or we don't practice the piano; we
learn our math facts, or we don't learn our math facts. Who we
are and what we are capable of doing is partially determined by
what we made ourselves do.
Another thought that I reflected on was this quote from Bill
Page, "Each child is living the only life he has--the only one
he will ever have. The least we can do is not diminish it." I
like to think of childhood as a bank where happy memories are
stored to be used later in life when times might be tough or not
so happy. Some of my regrets in teaching are moments when I
acted out of anger or frustration and forgot that students are
people and should be treated with courtesy.
#Post#: 118--------------------------------------------------
Re: Harry Wong
DIR By: Pam
Date: August 1, 2011, 1:55 pm
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Thank you for your comments, Rebecca. I studied this book
just last fall and it is still such a good reminder for me as I
face trying to get ready for a new school year. I am glad that
you reminded me as well as the author how important positive
expectations are. I really believe that a teacher needs to be
so careful in encouraging children and helping them be
successful.
I am struggling a bit with the idea of the first day of
school being a celebration. I know with first graders that
celebrating can be much more exhausting than working. They only
last about an hour before the party is old. I will script what
is most important on that most imporant first day and this year,
I am going to try to have more of a celebration at the end of
the day.
I do think our teachers (me) and parents should exhibit
respect for learning that Mr. Wong decribed. If adults did as
his parents did, it would not be so difficult to motivate our
students. I need to be more excited about learning and stay
that way during the day and try to encourage parents to do the
same.
#Post#: 119--------------------------------------------------
Re: Harry Wong
DIR By: Carol Powers
Date: August 2, 2011, 12:32 pm
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this has been my favorite reading so far. The district should
use all their money on professional speakers and have Harry come
in. I do wish we had more time just to pick our collegues
brains to help answer questions. It seems like we are so busy
throughout the day, week, month, and year, we seldom see each
other unless we have a meeting and then you really don't have
time to talk about anything except what is on the genda. I
really liked the part about positive expectations. I think
that some of the students come to school with negative thoughts
on what they can and can't do. Or they comment I'm just too
stupid. Or my mom and dad had a hard time in school so I do to
and its okay. Some parent consistently tell their child they
are slow and they know they are slow. It is hard to get that
child to overcome the negative expectations. Another problem I
have is that sometimes I think my expectaions are too high for
some kids.
#Post#: 120--------------------------------------------------
Re: Harry Wong
DIR By: Adrian
Date: August 2, 2011, 2:40 pm
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This was some interesting reading for me. Most of Mr. Wong's
suggestions seem right on track, while others seem at little
far-out for our culture. I would have a hard time getting very
excited about a big celebration at the start of school. I think
most of our kids would think something was up-a reverse
psychology kind of thing. I realize in Asian cultures this
kind of thing is normal and does contribute to better
achievement for these students, but it has been a part of their
culture for quite some time. I guess if you started early
enough with students, it might be more effective in a broader
spectrum of schools here. I guess I will anxiously await the
first day of school here and see what it brings! I do think we
could and should do more to improve the image and attitude
towards school in the US. And I do agree that attitude makes
all the difference in the world when it comes to teaching and
learning. I think there have been a lot of tremendously
successful people who have been educated in our traditional
system over the past fifty, or more, years by less than perfect
teachers, so I'm not convinced we need to scrap everthing that
has been done. Nor do I think teachers should feel bad if they
haven't implented every idea they come across. I also agree
whole-heartdly with Mr. Wong's assertions about having possitive
expectations for students, managing the classroom well, and
knowing your content material inside and out. With a good
attitude, I think these are really about all the main skills
needed.
#Post#: 121--------------------------------------------------
Re: Harry Wong
DIR By: Karen
Date: August 3, 2011, 7:33 am
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There were many quotes that I liked in this reading. "Perhaps
the most valuable result of all education is the ability to make
yourself do the thing you have to do, when it ought to be done,
whether you like it or not." This is something I am always
trying to help my children realize, whether it be doing their
homework, or helping cut wood, or mowing lawn, or doing dishes.
It is wonderful when they finally learn this, because then it
becomes their responsibility, not mine to keep nagging them.
Another quote I liked was by William James. "The greatest
discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his
life by altering his attitude of mind." This works for good or
bad. I see it in my children as they go from elementary into
junior high. In the first years of elementary they are excited
to be going to school, they love school, they enjoy doing the
homework that is sent home. Then as they get up into the older
elementary and Junior High, they get the attitude that school is
boring, they don't like it. I can never figure out where that
comes from, is it from other students, it's all of a sudden not
cool to like school? Is it from older siblings? I am always
telling them that they love school, they are smart and learning
is fun. Their attitude affects their enthusiasm for learning.
I really liked the section about positive expectations. The
expectations of the teacher are important, but I think the
expectations of the parents have a greater impact. Albert was
often frustrated after parent-teacher conferences, some parents
didn't care whether their child did any better in school, they
were doing 'good enough'. Most children (any of us for that
matter) will not put forth more effort unless it is expected of
them.
#Post#: 122--------------------------------------------------
Re: Harry Wong
DIR By: Karen
Date: August 3, 2011, 9:21 am
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I just finished reading the last assignment. I can see that
having a well managed classroom is crucial to the learning
environment, and while it requires a little more work for the
teacher at first, it puts more responsibility on the students
shoulders. I really liked the section on significant words and
actions. I can see a lot of the things we have been reading
about how to treat students in classrooms applies to all areas
of our lives. The adults we work with every day need positive
expectations, and specific praise and encouragement. They
deserve to be treated with respect and have us use please and
thank you and showing care and concern for them. Just imagine
the work experience we would have if our work environment was
like the classrooms described in these books.
#Post#: 123--------------------------------------------------
Re: Harry Wong
DIR By: Pam
Date: August 3, 2011, 9:19 pm
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There has been wonderful comments about the Wong readings
so far. I have great respect for parents that can encourage
their children to do well and keep learning even through the
junior high and high school years. I agree that parents'
attitude toward education is key to the attitude that children
usually have. We do a lot to try to make communication with
parents a part of education. Sometimes though, I feel that we
almost do too much. I remember when I had six children in
school and I only read about half of what came home from the
school. It seemed like there was almost too much. Luckily, I
had some children that were in the know and kept me somewhat on
track. Some of you parents of children in school could help us
a lot by letting us know what works the best and what just
burdens the family.
#Post#: 124--------------------------------------------------
Re: Harry Wong
DIR By: Julie
Date: August 4, 2011, 11:24 am
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Reading Harry Wong is a great way to get excited about the
upcoming school year! I loved the quote that said that the
beginning of each school year was a chance to close the book on
the last year and have a sense of renewal as we begin the new
year. I took to heart the need of me to have a positive outlook
so that the students can key off that. The section on
expectations seems to have made an impact with several others as
well as on me. I think that sometimes having a small school and
community makes it hard for kids to do anything but to live up
to expectations of others whether that be parents, friends or
teachers. I have two new students this year and I am excited to
get to know them, but I should feel just as excited to get to
know the other students as well and not go by what I already
have experienced with them. I am going to try to have a blank
slate for all.
Rebecca, I enjoyed your comments about dressing professionally.
I made sure that Ed saw that part so that I could justify a
shopping trip! I think that we need to make sure that we dress
modestly as well because we are teaching young people who are
impressionable.
#Post#: 125--------------------------------------------------
Re: Harry Wong
DIR By: Carol Powers
Date: August 4, 2011, 12:44 pm
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sure julie you neverlike my comments! Whose definition will we
use for modisty? I think that is quite a discussion in its
self. I just know we had a lot of comments last year about the
dress code.
#Post#: 126--------------------------------------------------
Re: Harry Wong
DIR By: Adrian
Date: August 4, 2011, 2:06 pm
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I haven't completely finished Harry Wong yet but I wanted to
comment on the topic of always smiling and saying please and
thank you. I can remember teachers who did much of that but it
sometimes left me uncomfortable. If I were getting chewed-out
for something but the teacher was smiling the whole time, it
seemed like one of those horror clown movies where the clown has
a smile painted on his face but a knife in his hand. I felt
like I couldn't really trust what I was seeing from the teacher
or at least I didn't feel like I could read what was really
happening. I finally figured-out (with Carrie's help) how to
watch the teaching videos and really liked the examples there.
The emotion was real but not overwhelming to the students. I
think that helped me see more clearly what Mr. Wong meant rather
than my childhood recollections.
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