Comments on: The Hopes And Dreams Of My Students http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2009/09/17/the-hopes-and-dreams-of-my-students/ ...For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:45:59 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Tamas Lorincz http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2009/09/17/the-hopes-and-dreams-of-my-students/comment-page-1/#comment-6124 Tamas Lorincz Fri, 18 Sep 2009 14:57:25 +0000 http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/?p=5194#comment-6124 Dear Larry Thanks for this peep into your life as a teacher. I have the feeling that the reason for the students' negative attitudes has nothing to do with what you do or don't do. It's a sad symptom of what the system does to students. They become demotivated and uninterested, and have a general negative disposition because this is what they think their 'role' is in the process. Years of attending boring classes by boring teachers demoralises the most imaginative, enthusiastic and open kid. I wonder what the same students see themselves as at the end of the year, having spent hours in your classroom. I bet they would produce very different "Who I am" posters from the ones they did at the beginning of the course. And that's what you can and should claim as your 'doing'. Thanks for all you do for us teachers, especially English teachers out there. You're a source of inspiration, motivation and information par excellence. Dear Larry

Thanks for this peep into your life as a teacher. I have the feeling that the reason for the students’ negative attitudes has nothing to do with what you do or don’t do.
It’s a sad symptom of what the system does to students. They become demotivated and uninterested, and have a general negative disposition because this is what they think their ‘role’ is in the process. Years of attending boring classes by boring teachers demoralises the most imaginative, enthusiastic and open kid.
I wonder what the same students see themselves as at the end of the year, having spent hours in your classroom. I bet they would produce very different “Who I am” posters from the ones they did at the beginning of the course.
And that’s what you can and should claim as your ‘doing’.
Thanks for all you do for us teachers, especially English teachers out there. You’re a source of inspiration, motivation and information par excellence.

]]> By: Dan Kirk http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2009/09/17/the-hopes-and-dreams-of-my-students/comment-page-1/#comment-6119 Dan Kirk Fri, 18 Sep 2009 02:52:10 +0000 http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/?p=5194#comment-6119 Larry, You said that there must be, "something I can do to systematically during the year try to help students develop and articulate a broader vision for themselves." I have started to incorporate a power of positive thinking component in my teaching. It isn't explicit to the students, but I have read enough that makes me believe that people feel that they have limitations, not because they actually exist, but because there is so much negative, limiting thought surrounding them, behave like beaten animals. They cover up and try to avoid the pain. I try to present them with other models of abundance and good feelings. I have no empirical evidence to show that it works, but their course evaluations are positive. Dan Larry,
You said that there must be, “something I can do to systematically during the year try to help students develop and articulate a broader vision for themselves.” I have started to incorporate a power of positive thinking component in my teaching. It isn’t explicit to the students, but I have read enough that makes me believe that people feel that they have limitations, not because they actually exist, but because there is so much negative, limiting thought surrounding them, behave like beaten animals. They cover up and try to avoid the pain.

I try to present them with other models of abundance and good feelings. I have no empirical evidence to show that it works, but their course evaluations are positive.

Dan

]]> By: Larry Ferlazzo http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2009/09/17/the-hopes-and-dreams-of-my-students/comment-page-1/#comment-6118 Larry Ferlazzo Thu, 17 Sep 2009 22:50:47 +0000 http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/?p=5194#comment-6118 Amanda, Sounds like it worked well. I, too, used Obama's speech (http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2009/09/07/the-best-part-of-the-presidents-speech-how-ill-use-it/), but, after reading your comment, see that I could have tied it in much better with longer-term goals. Thanks. Larry Amanda,

Sounds like it worked well. I, too, used Obama’s speech (http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2009/09/07/the-best-part-of-the-presidents-speech-how-ill-use-it/), but, after reading your comment, see that I could have tied it in much better with longer-term goals.

Thanks.

Larry

]]> By: Amanda http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2009/09/17/the-hopes-and-dreams-of-my-students/comment-page-1/#comment-6117 Amanda Thu, 17 Sep 2009 22:31:45 +0000 http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/?p=5194#comment-6117 I have had similar experiences when I ask students to set goals at the beginning of the year. Most goals were "pass the 7th grade" or "don't get ISS" or something along those lines. However, this year, I had my students view President Obama's speech on education. Students who did not have a permission slip to watch the speech read a blog about the importance of setting goals. After both activities, students were asked to set a goal for themselves. I had much better results with this activity. Students spoke about going to college or technical school, specific careers of interest, and plans to help others. I really was impressed. I think maybe the difference has to do with the way the material was presented. Instead of "this is something you should do" goals were presented as a way to better the world. I think that can appear to students. I also think having concrete reasons presented about how goals can change your life is important. I have had similar experiences when I ask students to set goals at the beginning of the year. Most goals were “pass the 7th grade” or “don’t get ISS” or something along those lines.

However, this year, I had my students view President Obama’s speech on education. Students who did not have a permission slip to watch the speech read a blog about the importance of setting goals. After both activities, students were asked to set a goal for themselves. I had much better results with this activity. Students spoke about going to college or technical school, specific careers of interest, and plans to help others. I really was impressed.

I think maybe the difference has to do with the way the material was presented. Instead of “this is something you should do” goals were presented as a way to better the world. I think that can appear to students. I also think having concrete reasons presented about how goals can change your life is important.

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