Week 2 Response to Peer Reading: Monica Heaney

Brenda McGee commented by saying:

Monica,

I agree that it is important as educators we never label the students. We limit the possibilities for the students when we prejudge student abilities. I believe I was presented this book for a reason and I must apply what I learned in my daily living. The image we present is important because of the influence we have over the development of the students. I will share this book with my principal so she can share it with the staff as a whole.

Monica Heaney wrote:
Wk2 Reading: Art of Possibility
After reading Chapter 1 of The Art of Possibility, by Rosamund & Benjamin Zander, I was hooked. I read many paragraphs over and over because I didn’t want to forget the message. As a teacher with dual certification (regular and special education) I am often asked to identify a child’s disability. It really bothers me that so often students are compared to each other and not looked at as an individual. I can think of a particular student who takes longer to respond and process, this is considered a processing delay that I don’t agree with. I watch him listen and if he was an adult, he would say “give me a minute.” As a child if his response time is not immediate, we think something is wrong. Chapter 2 of “The Art of Possibility” reminds us how our measurements put limits on possibility. I believe that this student is very smart. Measuring him according to students who have the ability to express themselves quickly does not allow for the possibility of his intelligence to be expressed. Chapter 3, “Giving an A” should remind us to give this student an A. If we assume he has a lot to contribute and a lot to express, perhaps his anxiety would lessen. Maybe he would feel the belief of the teacher and maybe he would feel more comfortable in expressing himself and his ideas. The authors expressed the idea that you can change people. This is an instance were I believe this can happen. As the educator, if I provide an atmosphere of trust, acceptance, and high expectations, this student of concern would most likely express himself.
Making a contribution as mentioned in chapter 4 would be on my end as well as on the students end. As the teacher, my contribution would be, being extra patient with this student. My student’s contribution would be to express his ideas and become an integral voice in our class. Which, I would imagine would encourage him to repeat the contributions and become more confident and less anxious.

Posted by Monica Heaney at 5:49 PM