Chapter 10: Going Beyond the Classroom (Fires)

    The tenth (and final) chapter of Fires in the Bathroom, by Kathleen Cushman, focused on "teaching beyond the classroom", which includes ways to incorporate more than what is confined within the school. The following quote, by Linda, is one of the most important things that teachers should keep in mind- which is why I have chosen to focus on it in this last response- "You want [kids] to find themselves, and not everyone is going to find themselves in the classroom. So you want to open as many doors as you can." (pg. 175) Sometimes two people are not compatible, likewise not all people are compatible with the same subjects or activities, including school. By finding other ways to involve your students you are providing them with more opportunities to succeed. 

     As someone who was close to most of my teachers, especially English teachers, it can be hard to imagine having students whom may lack an interest in bonding. However, I know that I am not the only person that can aide in their success; finding said student a friend, activity, passion, or even a focus (no matter how lasting) can give them the tools they need to develop a lifelong key to potential prosperity. 

Chapter 9: When Things Go Wrong (Fires)

    The ninth chapter of Fires in the Bathroom, by Kathleen Cushman, focused on handling the unpleasant aspects of the classroom. What really jumped out to me in the text was the section that talked about the struggle that teachers, especially new teachers, have balancing authority and allowing themselves to connect on a friendlier level. On one hand, being too stringent will sabotage your ability to connect with the students, and on the other hand being too friendly can result in the teacher being taken advantage of by the students.

     During my first two weeks in the field I could relate! It is hard to explain, but I feel like an authoritative figure, but also I feel like I am not a teacher and therefore I have no right to scold them; likewise, sometimes I feel as if I am the "teacher" that can connect with the students and this makes me feel even less able to discipline. I want the students to know that I do care about them, but I also want them to view me as one of their teachers. In hindsight, I know this is my biggest struggle right now; overcoming this confusing place is my main goal.

Chapter 8: Teaching Teenagers Who Are Still Learning English (Fires)

     The eighth chapter of Fires in the Bathroom, by Kathleen Cushman, focused on the academic lives of English language learners (ELL). Not only are these students bombarded with the same challenges as other students, but they also have the weight of learning a new language on their shoulders. Also, it is not just their grades that are affected, their social lives suffer too. 

     I found this chapter alarming! What would I do if I had an ELL student in my classroom? As the teacher, it is your responsibility to provide equal learning oppurtunities to all students, but would I be able to handle such a task when provided with this? From the text, I learned a few ideas I could implement in such a situation, including: providing varied instruction, allowing these students to work through their thoughts in whatever language they choose, and providing texts that meet the curriculum without undermining their age or ability. 

Chapter 7: Teaching Difficult Academic Material (Fires)

     The seventh chapter of Fires in the Bathroom, by Kathleen Cushman, focused on ways that the teacher can present material to the students in a helpful and supportive way. On page 123, Vance makes an observation on something that happens so often it is worth discussing, "Lots of teachers will give you every step leading up to the answer. You're not really learning anything, you're just reciting it." I would be willing to bet that everybody can think of at least one teacher to which this applies. Is that not discouraging? It seems that at some point education shifted from the art of teaching to the art of monotonic recitation; educating is more than presenting research based monologues, it is the act of enlightening and impassioning. Teaching in the manner to which Vince was referring results too often in memorization, not learning. 

     It is important to allow creativity to flourish in the classroom. By being creative and flexible the teacher is taking into consideration more than just one intelligence or perspective. Students learn best when they are allowed to adapt lessons to their own passions and lives. After being in the field for just four days I have been confronted with many different learning styles and it has allowed me to begin thinking in these varied ways. Ultimately, it is the teachers' responsibility to ensure that every student has the opportunity to be successful and if that means roaming into unfamiliar territory then face it head-on. 

Final thought: America has become so fixated on reaching the finish line that we are now missing out on the actual race; in the end it is not the grades attained but the demonstration of skills acquired. 

Chapter 6: Motivation and Boredom (Fires)

    The sixth chapter of Fires in the Bathroom, by Kathleen Cushman, focused on impassioning both the students and teacher as a root to classroom success. I was pleasantly surprised by the students in the book that discussed how they hoped for their teachers to motivate them and create connections between the subject and its relevance to life. One of the key reasons I want to teach juniors and seniors is because they have reached that point where they know that they must do well in order to get into the universities (or whatever they strive to do after graduation) of their choice, thus they put forth more effort into their work. At least, that is what I observed during those two years of my life, before that students would dwell on the classes “irrelevance to my life.” Needless to say, hearing the students talk about how they wanted to do well moved me.

     In high school, teachers repeatedly stressed the importance of establishing good habits as they would follow you into college. Personally, this was not true. I had decent habits in high school, but I never needed to study, because of this I never learned study habits or really even organizational habits until college. However, what I did learn in high school was the importance of language as one of the greatest tools to success. One of my teachers once told me, “Sometimes it’s not what you know, but how you say it. Even if you’re wrong, if you say it with conviction sometimes nobody will question it.” As a future English Teacher I understand this importance, and though I do believe in the relevance of the books and curriculum, my strongest belief is that English (as a class) is to prepare students to develop strong skills on establishing rooted opinions that can be supported with examples. The beauty of literature and writing is that there are endless possibilities for interpretation, unlike math it is not cut-and-dry, but rather abstract; although my opinion may not parallel the students’, if they can support it and explain it to me with conviction I have taught them well. Understanding Edgar Allen Poe may be culturally helpful, but arguing its relevance to something higher is a life skill that is applicable to every subject. Ultimately, creating a classroom with strong beliefs and the courage to express them is critical to a healthy learning environment. 

Chapter 5: Teaching to the Individual, Working with the Group (Fires)

    The fifth chapter of Fires in the Bathroom, by Kathleen Cushman, focused on the variation among students, and the grouping of students. One of my concerns on becoming a teachers is how to create a learning environment in which everyone can flourish, but where nobody feels alienated or lesser. As a result of this I have chosen to focus on the grouping aspect of the chapter and two parts in particular: letting students pick their own groups and the possibility of one student carrying the entire team. 

     I believe all students have experienced and grouping situation in which they were the "work horse" of the group, or they were paired with people with whom they could not possibly be productive with for whatever reason. As the teacher, developing a strong rubric that emphasizes the importance of equal participation among all team members is essential. Additionally, I am a strong believer in student led evaluations for the individual and the group, by keeping them private it will allow for the students to critique themselves and their team members honestly. Also, I like to believe that by allowing students to group themselves it will lead to a more friendly and productive team. In the chapter, this topic was discussed and it seems that the students generally agree, "Let us sometimes pick what group to work in" (pg. 94) and "You may not get along with your assigned group, so the work isn't always done well." (Diana, 94) However, there are people who think that by allowing this it will single out the less popular students, or even lead to groups of friends that would rather socialize than work. Personally, I have worked in both assigned and free-choice groups and I have noticed that in assigned groups the students will assign pieces of the project to each student and then work alone; to me, this is inefficient because the point of group activities is to socialize and work together to achieve a common product, not to work individually in attempt to patch together multiple same-themed projects. 

Chapter 4: Creating a Culture of Success (Fires)

         The fourth chapter of Fires in the Bathroom, by Kathleen Cushman, focused on developing an environment that supports success. Often times, it seems as if students become instantly overwhelmed upon entering high school.  A piece of advice from the book says, "Remember, your class is just one of the many obligations we have" (66). Students have upwards to seven classes that they are trying to succeed in, not to mention familial responsibilities, jobs, sports, and extra curricular activities. Stretching the students too thin can be detrimental to their success, not just in your class, but if they feel overwhelmed they might give up all together. 

     In high school, I remember distinctly having the thought, "Wow, does Mrs. ______  really think that we have time to finish all of that before tomorrow? We do have other classes!" When this happened my parents would tell me to get over it. What would I do? I would finish all the work, but I can guarantee you that I did not put 100% effort into it, most likely I focused on the subjects I enjoyed and short-changed math and science. For obvious reasons, this is destructive to a students' learning as it can snowball quickly and result in the underdevelopment of certain subjects. However, I do believe homework is necessary and I do think that a little stress can be productive and that other skills can be formed and applied to the "real world" by experiencing troubling circumstances; teachers should be aware that there is a fine line between challenging and overwhelming. 

Chapter 3: Classroom Behavior (Fires)

     The third chapter of Fires in the Bathroom, by Kathleen Cushman, focused on the management of classroom behaviors. One quotation, by Daryl, really got me thinking, "My new teacher didn't set boundaries about what was okay to do. Kids would take out sports or motorcycle magazines in the middle of a class discussion- the first time it happened, he should have addressed it right away. Instead he waited a couple of days" (pg. 38). Different teachers expect different things from their students. It is extremely important to establish boundaries on the first day of class. Further on, the chapter discussed what may happen if the rules are not firmly dictated (i.e students reading sports magazines). To me, this is a little condescending to the students, especially if you are talking about high schoolers as I am.
     Generally, students know what is expected of them in the classroom. Since Kindergarten we have been bombarded with rules of conduct and academic expectations, mostly they are the same every year; be respectful and try your hardest. Although I do think that it is essential to develop clear rules and expectations, I do not think it is necessary to spend an entire class period lecturing the students. I have had teachers who spend the entire first class reading from their syllabus and talking about ways to be respectful and productive, it was belittling and boring. Though it may be presumptuous, I would argue that all students know that they are expected to attempt their work and treat others kindly. As a teacher, it may seem critical to establish these ideas, but just remember that you are not a revolutionary and the students have heard it before. My advice, settle on a list of five to ten key expectations, and if you feel that an explanation is needed you may then take the time out of class to discuss it with the students. 

Note: Do not lecture, but discuss. 

Maine Memory Network

     Originally, I am from Westbrook, Maine, a town which has bad “street cred” for being low income, low class, and dirty. Do not get me wrong, I love Westbrook, but the surrounding towns do not (when we come back from the schools ask Mike, he is from Portland and they hate us!). With that, the Maine Memory Network was interesting to me because it allowed me to see some detailed examples of what my hometown has achieved, despite its reputation. For example, I had no idea that it was the home to a seminary and a silk factory! Also, I was not aware that the manufacturing of silk was one of the largest industries in America, and that Westbrook was a participant in this, the only place in Maine! 

     In the classroom, the Maine Memory Network could be used in several ways, but my mind goes directly to writing. It could be interesting to work on a piece that explored the History of the town in which I teach (maybe during spirit week?), especially if I was able to recruit a history or Social Studies teacher to co-teach the project! Often times, students are indifferent about their school and town, but maybe, if they were more knowledgeable it would allow for a more academically and civically invested student body. 

Google Earth

     Although it has been over a year since I used Google Earth last, I do still remember how to maneuver it pretty well. My favorite feature is the little yellow person that you can drop on a site to get a first person and 360º view of the location! This feature is super cool and especially when the site you are viewing has not been updated in Google’s system; seeing the things that have changed is incredible.

     In an English class, I think that the uses of Google Earth would be pretty minimal, though Social Studies and some of the sciences could use it effectively. One of the uses of Google Earth in an English class would be having the ability to experience and explore an environment that is in a reading. However, as cool as this may be, it could also be misleading as the area has probably changed and its changes recorded on Google Earth. Ultimately, I do think that Google Earth is an awesome program, but I am not sure that it is the most reliable one for areas which are constantly growing and changing.