brainstorming

What should change in schools,

teachers training.

Teachers should be making observations on each child weekly.

Teachers should create specific curriculum in the areas that the child needs to improve on or the areas they are advancing in.

Teachers need constant training and retraining.

Going to training once a month every month with trainers that must stay accredited  through a national level.

Having the teachers get uninterrupted observations once a month and have training targeted to the areas they need to improve or advance in.

Start in preschool

Have different teachers for different subjects but one teacher that is always with the class.

Have creativity be the standard that everything is based off of.

ASK THE CHILDREN what they are interested in learning about.

Engage the children in talking about home life. Animals, family members, vacations, after school sports, create a relationship with the child.

Eat meals with the children

paper 2

Amanda Chance

Eng 101

2^nd Paper            

 

                If you have ever been in school, you know the dreary of having a teacher that doesn’t care. You have felt the pain of, “Open your books to page 224 and read silently until the end of class. Your homework is on the board” In every single school around the country there is a teacher that fits that description. What each school does not have is a teacher that breaks the mold and shows a student the thrill of learning. A good teacher is a teacher that involves themselves in not only teaching a student a subject but also helps them acquire the tools they need to become successful in life. Two teachers that meet this definition are Mr. Jaime Escalante of the movie Stand and Deliver, and Ms. Catherine Watson of the movie Mona Lisa Smile.

Each teacher had their own way of achieving their goals. They were admired and loved by their students while earning their respect. It is easy to compare them both to what a great teacher should be.  Also with knowing what they did differently it helps to understand how they could have improved their teaching methods, in whatever slight way.  A great teacher is easy to define with the help of professionals, especially if the professionals have college degrees and personal experiences. Dan Brown is a teaching ambassador fellow from the US Department of education (Brown 2). He has the knowledge and resources to clearly understand what makes a good teacher. He has several different criteria that help to give definition to a great teacher.  He mentions specifically a teacher needs supportive staff around them (Brown 2).  Not just in the way that they say “great job” but also are offered constructive criticism and helps the teacher develop the skills they need.  Dan Brown also outlines the importance of being active in the school not just in the classroom. He specifically says on page two of his criteria that, “Going to a volleyball game and cheering your face off can sometimes make a world of difference,” (Brown 2) It is very easy to see how that would make a student want to do well inside the classroom. There isn’t a limit to the importance of supporting your students.  The most important part of Dan Browns criteria for a great teacher is motivation. He mentions that just getting the students to perform their best on a daily basis is a constant battle. It is safe to say that without dedication there is no reason for a teacher to even teach. Dan Brown uses the phrase, “tremendous dedication,” (Brown 2) Maybe one important thing not mentioned by Dan Brown is that teaching also involves creativity.

                Sir Ken Robinson is an expert on creativity. In a news release from September of 2007 from Portland community college, he explores just how important it is to incorporate creativity into the classroom. Sir Ken Robinson blames the lack of creativity in the classroom as being the reason the US is behind the rest of the world (Robinson 1). Creativity is a huge part of learning. Motivating the students on a daily basis is much easier if the teacher would incorporate some creativity. Sir Ken Robinson knows the importance of creativity in the classroom. He spent 12 years teaching how to be a teacher at the University of Warwick, which is located in the United Kingdom, now he works in the United States with all sorts of different companies (Robinson 1). All of which use creativity to spur their growth. It is easy to see how well the amount of creativity mentioned by Sir Ken Robinson is used to encourage learning by both of the teachers and it is easy to see how both teachers meet the criteria mentioned by Dan Brown.

                Mr. Jaime Escalante and Ms. Catherine Watson are both teachers in their first year of teaching. They meet the conditions outlined by Dan Brown and by Sir Ken Robinson in several different ways. In one particular scene Catherine Watson is shown attending an after school dance party with the girls in the movie Mona Lisa Smile. This shows her dedication outside the classroom. She also attends the beginning of the year festivities where the girls engage themselves in silly traditional costumes and run races. In another scene she even goes to a secret society meeting with the girls of her class. It is no wonder the girls respect her so much when she gives so much of her time and opinions to her students. Catherine Watson is also very creative. She constantly keeps the students interested by asking them what they think about different types of art instead of just reading from a text book. In one particular scene, she takes the students to what looks like an abandoned warehouse that is full of modern art being unloaded from boxes. The assignment is to just “look” at the biggest piece of art in the room. You can see the awe in some of the students faces. Her level of dedication is definitely high. Her whole life revolves around her classroom. In her office you see all her ideas everywhere in various stages of chaos. This shows how passionate she is about her subject.  Almost the exact opposite would be the supremely organized Mr. Jaime Escalante of the movie Stand and Deliver. He teaches a math class for the remedial students. He is the perfect picture of organized.  He meets the criteria in much of the same ways.  In Dan Browns article, “What Makes a Good Teacher,” the writer identifies several standards that Mr. Escalante meets. The one that is most easily identified would be “trying to get the most out of them day in and day out,” (Brown 2). Jaime Escalante uses humor and his knowledge of the student’s culture to get the most out of his students. In one particular scene he actually creates a word problem using “Gigolos” and “girlfriends” as the subjects and actually asks the principle for gigolos to come in for visual learning.  He also fits through his dedication to the students. Not only does he work through a heart attack, he gives his summer and his nights during the regular school year to his students. His level of dedication proves how much he cares about his math students. Both teachers care deeply for the students in their classes. It is easy to see how much they sacrifice even if it is in slightly different ways.

                The difference in their teaching styles benefits the culture of the students and also the time that they are teaching in. Even though they had some differences, both teachers still were great at their jobs. The ways in which each teacher earned the respect of their students was different. Ms. Watson earned it through treating the students like peers, and valuing their opinions. Mr. Escalante earned the respect through fear and humor. Mr. Escalante did not back down when the gang member students came into the class to try and intimidate him. Ms. Watson was greatly intimidated by her students on the first day when they all knew all of the answers and had already read the text book. Ms. Watson was not from the same cultural back ground as her students, whereas Mr. Escalante was. He had the advantage of speaking the same language as his students as well as understands their ways of living. Ms. Watson did not have that advantage and as well as moving from across the country she was thrust into a new way of life. These things made each of these teachers play a big part in each of the student’s lives.

                The greatest teachers in anyone’s life are the ones that create a profound impact. They teach with all the patience of a parent and all the knowledge of an accomplished learner. Both Ms. Watson and Mr. Escalante show their patience continuously through their movies. They show how being involved and dedicated creates students that return those favors. The standards that Dan Brown outlines and the creativity that Sir Ken Robinson mentions are both met by each of the teachers.  A good teacher is a teacher that involves themselves in not only teaching a student a subject but also helps them acquire the tools they need to become successful in life. Each teacher did just that with their students and it is very obvious how successful they were at teaching. Throughout any student’s life, they can only hope to be so lucky as the classes of Mr. Jaime Escalante and Ms. Catherine Watson.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Works Cited

Brown, Dan. “What Makes A Great Teacher” http://wj.la/TEqyRv79397.html. 8-31-2012.

Robinson, Sir Ken. “Sir Ken Robinson Explores Creative Revolution” US Fed News Service, Including US State News, Washington DC. 9-17-2007.

Mona Lisa Smile. Revolution Studios. 3-4-2003

Stand and Deliver. Warner Bros. 4-11-1988

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amanda Chance

Eng 101

2^nd Paper            

 

                If you have ever been in school, you know the dreary of having a teacher that doesn’t care. You have felt the pain of, “Open your books to page 224 and read silently until the end of class. Your homework is on the board” In every single school around the country there is a teacher that fits that description. What each school does not have is a teacher that breaks the mold and shows a student the thrill of learning. A good teacher is a teacher that involves themselves in not only teaching a student a subject but also helps them acquire the tools they need to become successful in life. Two teachers that meet this definition are Mr. Jaime Escalante of the movie Stand and Deliver, and Ms. Catherine Watson of the movie Mona Lisa Smile.

Each teacher had their own way of achieving their goals. They were admired and loved by their students while earning their respect. It is easy to compare them both to what a great teacher should be.  Also with knowing what they did differently it helps to understand how they could have improved their teaching methods, in whatever slight way.  A great teacher is easy to define with the help of professionals, especially if the professionals have college degrees and personal experiences. Dan Brown is a teaching ambassador fellow from the US Department of education (Brown 2). He has the knowledge and resources to clearly understand what makes a good teacher. He has several different criteria that help to give definition to a great teacher.  He mentions specifically a teacher needs supportive staff around them (Brown 2).  Not just in the way that they say “great job” but also are offered constructive criticism and helps the teacher develop the skills they need.  Dan Brown also outlines the importance of being active in the school not just in the classroom. He specifically says on page two of his criteria that, “Going to a volleyball game and cheering your face off can sometimes make a world of difference,” (Brown 2) It is very easy to see how that would make a student want to do well inside the classroom. There isn’t a limit to the importance of supporting your students.  The most important part of Dan Browns criteria for a great teacher is motivation. He mentions that just getting the students to perform their best on a daily basis is a constant battle. It is safe to say that without dedication there is no reason for a teacher to even teach. Dan Brown uses the phrase, “tremendous dedication,” (Brown 2) Maybe one important thing not mentioned by Dan Brown is that teaching also involves creativity.

                Sir Ken Robinson is an expert on creativity. In a news release from September of 2007 from Portland community college, he explores just how important it is to incorporate creativity into the classroom. Sir Ken Robinson blames the lack of creativity in the classroom as being the reason the US is behind the rest of the world (Robinson 1). Creativity is a huge part of learning. Motivating the students on a daily basis is much easier if the teacher would incorporate some creativity. Sir Ken Robinson knows the importance of creativity in the classroom. He spent 12 years teaching how to be a teacher at the University of Warwick, which is located in the United Kingdom, now he works in the United States with all sorts of different companies (Robinson 1). All of which use creativity to spur their growth. It is easy to see how well the amount of creativity mentioned by Sir Ken Robinson is used to encourage learning by both of the teachers and it is easy to see how both teachers meet the criteria mentioned by Dan Brown.

                Mr. Jaime Escalante and Ms. Catherine Watson are both teachers in their first year of teaching. They meet the conditions outlined by Dan Brown and by Sir Ken Robinson in several different ways. In one particular scene Catherine Watson is shown attending an after school dance party with the girls in the movie Mona Lisa Smile. This shows her dedication outside the classroom. She also attends the beginning of the year festivities where the girls engage themselves in silly traditional costumes and run races. In another scene she even goes to a secret society meeting with the girls of her class. It is no wonder the girls respect her so much when she gives so much of her time and opinions to her students. Catherine Watson is also very creative. She constantly keeps the students interested by asking them what they think about different types of art instead of just reading from a text book. In one particular scene, she takes the students to what looks like an abandoned warehouse that is full of modern art being unloaded from boxes. The assignment is to just “look” at the biggest piece of art in the room. You can see the awe in some of the students faces. Her level of dedication is definitely high. Her whole life revolves around her classroom. In her office you see all her ideas everywhere in various stages of chaos. This shows how passionate she is about her subject.  Almost the exact opposite would be the supremely organized Mr. Jaime Escalante of the movie Stand and Deliver. He teaches a math class for the remedial students. He is the perfect picture of organized.  He meets the criteria in much of the same ways.  In Dan Browns article, “What Makes a Good Teacher,” the writer identifies several standards that Mr. Escalante meets. The one that is most easily identified would be “trying to get the most out of them day in and day out,” (Brown 2). Jaime Escalante uses humor and his knowledge of the student’s culture to get the most out of his students. In one particular scene he actually creates a word problem using “Gigolos” and “girlfriends” as the subjects and actually asks the principle for gigolos to come in for visual learning.  He also fits through his dedication to the students. Not only does he work through a heart attack, he gives his summer and his nights during the regular school year to his students. His level of dedication proves how much he cares about his math students. Both teachers care deeply for the students in their classes. It is easy to see how much they sacrifice even if it is in slightly different ways.

                The difference in their teaching styles benefits the culture of the students and also the time that they are teaching in. Even though they had some differences, both teachers still were great at their jobs. The ways in which each teacher earned the respect of their students was different. Ms. Watson earned it through treating the students like peers, and valuing their opinions. Mr. Escalante earned the respect through fear and humor. Mr. Escalante did not back down when the gang member students came into the class to try and intimidate him. Ms. Watson was greatly intimidated by her students on the first day when they all knew all of the answers and had already read the text book. Ms. Watson was not from the same cultural back ground as her students, whereas Mr. Escalante was. He had the advantage of speaking the same language as his students as well as understands their ways of living. Ms. Watson did not have that advantage and as well as moving from across the country she was thrust into a new way of life. These things made each of these teachers play a big part in each of the student’s lives.

                The greatest teachers in anyone’s life are the ones that create a profound impact. They teach with all the patience of a parent and all the knowledge of an accomplished learner. Both Ms. Watson and Mr. Escalante show their patience continuously through their movies. They show how being involved and dedicated creates students that return those favors. The standards that Dan Brown outlines and the creativity that Sir Ken Robinson mentions are both met by each of the teachers.  A good teacher is a teacher that involves themselves in not only teaching a student a subject but also helps them acquire the tools they need to become successful in life. Each teacher did just that with their students and it is very obvious how successful they were at teaching. Throughout any student’s life, they can only hope to be so lucky as the classes of Mr. Jaime Escalante and Ms. Catherine Watson.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Works Cited

Brown, Dan. “What Makes A Great Teacher” http://wj.la/TEqyRv79397.html. 8-31-2012.

Robinson, Sir Ken. “Sir Ken Robinson Explores Creative Revolution” US Fed News Service, Including US State News, Washington DC. 9-17-2007.

Mona Lisa Smile. Revolution Studios. 3-4-2003

Stand and Deliver. Warner Bros. 4-11-1988

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paper 2 rough draft

Amanda Chance

Eng 101

2^nd Paper            

                  If you have ever been in school, you know the dreary of having a teacher that doesn’t care. You have felt the pain of, “Open your books to page 224 and read silently until the end of class. Your homework is on the board” In every single school around the country there is a teacher that fits that description. What each school does not have is a teacher that breaks the mold and shows a student the thrill of learning. A good teacher is a teacher that involves themselves in not only teaching a student a subject but also helps them acquire the tools they need to become successful in life. Two teachers that meet this definition are Mr. Jaime Escalante of the movie Stand and Deliver, and Ms. Catherine Watson of the movie Mona Lisa Smile. Each teacher had their own way of achieving their goals. They were admired and loved by their students while earning their respect. It is easy to compare them both to what a great teacher should be.  Also with knowing what they did differently it helps to understand how they could have improved their teaching methods, in whatever slight way.  A great teacher is easy to define with the help of professionals, especially if the professionals have degrees and personal experiences.

                Dan Brown is a teaching ambassador fellow from the US Department of education (Brown 2). He has the knowledge and resources to clearly understand what makes a good teacher. He has several different criteria that help to give definition to a great teacher.  He mentions specifically a teacher needs supportive staff around them (Brown 2).  Not just in the way that they say “great job” but they the staff offers constructive criticism and helps the teacher develop the skills they need.  Dan Brown also outlines the importance of being active in the school not just in the classroom. He specifically says on page two of his criteria that, “Going to a volleyball game and cheering your face off can sometimes make a world of difference,” (Brown 2) It is very easy to see how that would make a student want to do well inside the classroom. There isn’t a limit to the importance of supporting your students.  The most important part of Dan Browns criteria for a great teacher is motivation. He mentions that just getting the students to perform their best on a daily basis is a constant battle. It is safe to say that without dedication there is no reason for a teacher to even teach. Dan Brown uses the phrase, “tremendous dedication,” (Brown 2) there are many personalities that make for a great teacher but with the criteria outlined by Dan Brown, it is not everyone that should make teaching their career. Maybe one important thing not mentioned by Dan Brown is that teaching also involves creativity.

                Sir Ken Robinson is an expert on creativity. In a news release from September of 2007 from Portland community college, he explores just how important it is to incorporate creativity into the classroom. Sir Ken Robinson blames the lack of creativity in the classroom as being the reason the US is behind the rest of the world (Robinson 1). Creativity is a huge part of learning. Motivating the students on a daily basis is much easier if the teacher would incorporate some creativity. Sir Ken Robinson knows the importance of creativity in the classroom. He spent 12 years teaching how to be a teacher at the University of Warwick, which is located in the United Kingdom, now he works in the United States with all sorts of different companies (Robinson 1). All of which use creativity to spur their growth. Mr. Escalante and Ms. Watson both show an ample amount of creativity in their teaching styles. It is easy to see how well the amount of creativity mentioned by Sir Ken Robinson is used to encourage learning by both of the teachers and it is easy to see how both teachers meet the criteria mentioned by Dan Brown.

                Mr. Jaime Escalante and Ms. Catherine Watson are both teachers in their first year of teaching. They meet the criteria outlined by Dan Brown and by Sir Ken Robinson in several different ways. In one particular scene Catherine Watson is shown attending an after school dance party with the girls in the movie Mona Lisa Smile. This shows her dedication outside the classroom. She also attends the beginning of the year festivities where the girls engage themselves in silly traditional costumes and run races. In another scene she even goes to a secret society meeting with the girls of her class. It is no wonder the girls respect her so much when she gives so much of her time and opinions to her students. Catherine Watson is also very creative. She constantly keeps the students interested by asking them what they think about different types of art instead of just reading from a text book. In one particular scene, she takes the students to what looks like an abandoned warehouse that is full of modern art being unloaded from boxes. The assignment is to just “look” at the biggest piece of art in the room. You can see the awe in some of the students faces. Her level of dedication is definitely high. Her whole life revolves around her classroom. In her office you see all her ideas everywhere in various stages of unorganized chaos. Almost the exact opposite would be Mr. Jaime Escalante of the movie Stand and Deliver. He teaches a math class for the remedial students. He is the perfect picture of organized.  He meets the criteria in much of the same ways.  In Dan Browns article, “What Makes a Good Teacher,” the writer identifies several criteria that Mr. Escalante meets. The one that is most easily identified would be “trying to get the most out of them day in and day out,” (Brown 2) meaning getting the most out of the students. Jaime Escalante uses humor and his knowledge of the student’s culture to get the most out of his students. In one particular scene he actually creates a word problem using “Gigolos” and “girlfriends” as the subjects and actually asks the principle for gigolos to come in for visual learning.  He also fits through his dedication to the students. Not only does he work through a heart attack, he gives his summer and his nights during the regular school year to his students. His level of dedication is so intense his personal life becomes more chaotic. His Wife is unhappy at home as are his two children. His level of dedication proves how much he cares about his math students. Both teachers care deeply for the students in their classes. It is easy to see how much they sacrifice even if it is in slightly different ways.

                The difference in their teaching styles benefits the culture of the students and also the time that they are teaching in. The ways in which each teacher earned the respect of their students was different. Ms. Watson earned it through treating the students like peers, and valuing their opinions. Mr. Escalante earned the respect through fear and humor. Mr. Escalante did not back down when the gang member students came into the class to try and intimidate him. Ms. Watson was greatly intimidated by her students on the first day when they all knew all of the answers and had already read the text book. Ms. Watson was not from the same cultural back ground as her students , whereas Mr. Escalante was. He had the advantage of speaking the same language as his students as well as understands their ways of living. Ms. Watson did not have that advantage and as well as moving from across the country she was thrust into a new way of life. It is very interesting to see how they use those differences and advantages to become great teachers.

                The greatest teachers in anyone’s life are the ones that create a profound impact. They teach with all the patience of a parent and all the knowledge of an accomplished learner. Both Ms. Watson and Mr. Escalante show their patience continuously through their movies. They show how being involved and dedicated creates students that return those favors. The criteria that Dan Brown outlines and the creativity that Sir Ken Robinson mentions are both met by each of the teachers.  . A good teacher is a teacher that involves themselves in not only teaching a student a subject but also helps them acquire the tools they need to become successful in life. Each teacher did just that with their students and it is very obvious how successful they were at teaching. Throughout any student’s life, they can only hope to be so lucky as the classes of Mr. Jaime Escalante and Ms. Catherine Watson.

 

 

 

Works Cited

Brown, Dan. “What Makes A Great Teacher” http://wj.la/TEqyRv79397.html. 8-31-2012.

Robinson, Sir Ken. “Sir Ken Robinson Explores Creative Revolution” US Fed News Service, Including US State News, Washington DC. 9-17-2007.

Mona Lisa Smile. Revolution Studios. 3-4-2003

Stand and Deliver. Warner Bros. 4-11-1988

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thesis Statement and One Paragraph of 2nd Paper

Thesis Statement

A good teacher is a teacher that involves themselves not only in teaching a student a subject, but also helps them aquire the tools they need to become successful in life.

1st paragraph

                If you have ever been in school, you know the dreary of having a teacher that doesn’t care. You have felt the pain of, “Open your books to page 224 and read silently until the end of class. Your homework is on the board”  In every single school around the country there is a teacher that fits that description. What each school does not have is a teacher that breaks the mold and shows a student the thrill of learning. A good teacher is a  teacher that involves themselves in not only teaching a student a subject but also helps them acquire the tools they need to become successful in life. Two teachers that meet this definition are Mr. Jaime Escalante of the movie Stand and Deliver, and Ms. Catherine Watson of the movie Mona Lisa Smile. Each teacher had their own way of achieving their goals. They were admired and loved by their students while earning their respect. It is easy to compare them both to what a great teacher should be.  Also with knowing what they did differently it helps to understand how they could have improved their teaching methods, in whatever slight way.  A great teacher is easy to define with the help of professionals, especially if the professionals have degrees and personal experiences.

Which two teachers and why.

The two teachers I am choosing are Mr. Escalante from the film Stand and Deliver, and Ms. Watson from the film Mona Lisa Smile. The reason for choosing these two is because of their diverse teaching styles and the difference in times and cultures it will be easy to contrast them. There is also a ton of information and detail because of the movies and because I can rely on the class's notes as well as my own notes to help me compare them. I already have a list of the two teachers differences and similarities so it will be easier to put it into a thesis paper. I am planning on using my own thesis which I am still refining, as well as using the criteria for a good teacher from the hand outs, Sir Ken Robinson and Dan Brown. I am also planning on using some online resources for my paper that will help to outline what a good teacher is. Hopefully the result is a great thesis driven paper that compares and contrasts two teachers as abservable examples of the roles teachers play in their students educational lives that abundantly illustrates and analyzes their subjects. Which of course is the description of what our next paper is supposed to be like.

Mr. Escalante VS Ms. Watson

Ms. Watson in the movie Mona Lisa Smile was a teacher that was a good life teacher but maybe not a good art history teacher. She and Mr. escalante from the movie Stand and Deliver, have as much in common as they have not in common that made them good teachers. Catherine Watson was first very intimidated by her students when they came into the first class knowing everything from the text book.. Mr. escalantes first day was the exact opposite, instead of having students that were over prepared and ready, he had students that could not care less about his class. The students tried to intimidate him through fear but it didn't work. Both teachers reacted by coming to the second class ready to face the challanges and work harder for the respect they deserved. Mr Escalante got that respect through a comoation of fear and humor. Where as Ms. Watson put everyone of her students on equal ground with her and taught them how to respect their peers. Mr. Escalante aslo came from the same cultural back ground as his students. Literally, he spoke their language which made the barriers a it easier to remove for him. Ms. Watson came from accross the country and om a very different back ground as her rich and privalidged students. The teachers from each film were both very dedicated to their students but in very different ways. Mr. Escalante was trying to get his students to confrom to society and become functional members of a community. Ms. Watson was attempting the opposite. She wanted her students to break away from society and become free thinkers. The things they have in common were the personal interest they took in their students lives and the level of their dedication they had for their sudents. Ms Watson was not a good Art History teacher. She taught the girls a very valuable lesson in life. She taught them how to form their own opinions and how to think for themselves. Both teachers had a profound impact on their students lives just in different ways.

Mr. Escalante VS Mr. Macfarland

Mr. Escalante and Mr. Macfarland had several good teaching skills in common. In the movie Stand and Deliver, Mr. Escalante shows his extreme dedication to his students through teaching summer school and teaching after school during the regular school year. Mr. Macfarland also has dedication to his students. he shows it by allowing the students, including Mike Rose, into his home after school to encourage their edesire to read. He also uses his own personal connections to get Mike rose into a four year college and helps him get a loan for school. Another thing both teachers hae in common is the chaotic home life. The dedication these teahers have to their students is enough to create a home life tat is more hostile than relaxing. m. Macfarland's appearance is enough to have the students question is he "sleeps in his car" and his apartment lacks any type of organization. Mr. Escalantes home life is not easy either. With his unsupportive wife and two children its easy to see how his homelife is also hostile for different reasons. Mr Macfarland and Mr. Escalante both invested a personal interst in their students and have dedicated most of their time to helping their students succeed.
In ways they are different are mostly in the settings of their achievments. Mr Escalante gave up a good job to teach at a struggling school, while Mr. Macfarland is a young teacher that has his masters degree in teaching. Another way they are different is their style of teaching, Mr. Escalante relies on fear and humor to gain the respect of his students. Mr. Macfarland uses overwhelming amounts and pace of the class work and homework to keep his students engaged. He also uses his intellegence to keep the class clowns and others from acting up. Both are great teachers in their own ways and the classrooms around the country could use more teachers like them.

Hand out on using examples, Stand and Deliver

1. Mr Escalante is a great example of what I think is a good teacher. In the movie Stand and Deliver there are many examples tha show his extreme dedication to his studentes. In one speific example Jaime Escalante falls very sick with a heart attack. The doctor recommends he not do any work or stressful activity for at elast a month, instead he only waits two days.

2. In Dan Browns article "what makes a good teacher?" the writer identifies several crieria, on Jaime Escalante from the film Stand and Deliver fits is "trying to get the most out of them (students) day in and day out." Jaime uses his sense of humor and cultural backround to ge the most out of his stidents everyday. He also fits through "tremendous dedication to the job" which is another criteria from Dan Browns "what makes a good teacher?" through pushing through medical issues and his own wifes objections to continue teaching his students.

3.Sir Ken Robinson has one simple theory that "the revolution is creativity"

4. Sir Ken Robinson's criteria for good teaching includes being creative. He would rate Mr. Escalante as a very good creative teacher. He uses creativity in his classoom through examples the students can relate to. Including a scene where he uses a word problem involoving "Gigilo's" and "girlfriends"

Audre Lorde

Paragraph that is rich in detail I chose was,

As I sat with the dunce cap on, I can rememeber the sun pouring through the classrooom window hot upon my backm as the rest of the class dutifully entoned their hail Mary's for my soul, and I played secret games with the destorted raqinbows of light, until Sister noticed and made me stop blinking my eyes so fast.

Original Sentence

I used to long for some Hearst Free Milk Fund milk, in one of those cute little bottles with their red and white tops...

My Sentence

We often thirsted ater large Coca Cola Diet Cokes, that came in those tall glass bottle with the white pairs of polar bears...

Another Sentence Original

When I was five years old an still legally blind, I started school in a sight conservvation class in the local public school on 135th Steet  and Lenox Avenue...

My Sentence

From my age of 10 years, when I was still mostly blonde, I began school in a uniforms only class that was at a Private school near the railroad tracks and Police Station...

Stand and Deliver Reaction notes

The plot of Stand and Deliver is basically about a man that comes in as a nobody, just a guy without computers for his computer class. So He takes initiative and starts to teach a different class. He is met with a uncertainty from the class of "mis fits"He turns the class into a class of students that can pass the ap calc test. Its a great movie about not giving up on any one, even if everyone else has. I especially liked when the students stole his car and fixed it up. It really gave the complete 180 about how the children started and finished. Its easy to see why the students took to him. He had much of the same cultural background as the students. His first language is Spanish and a lot of the kids spoke that as a first language  When he goes around to the parents to talk to them about their children, It shows that he is willing to really go the extra mile for his students. It also shows that the children can't do it alone. I can't imagine the type of personality it takes to be so confrontational with parents. Even when a parent says that they don't want their child to be smart, because "boys don't like smart girls" he insists on the girl taken the class. It is not easy to understand what motivates him. He seems to be fueled by the success of his students. That seems to be his vice. If he doesn't get his students to succeed he wouldn't see himself as anything less than a failure. His family life seems to be disintegrating as well. his wife is not happy he spends so much time teaching when he doesn't have to. Especially the late night english class. Which is the class that eventually he has his heart attack in. it is sad to see how much it affects his class, but inspiring as well. They truly care for their teacher and really want to make him happy. When the students do well on the test, they are called into question because of their background  Mr. Escalante is very mad because he thinks the test graders are racist. It is called into question more later because the students love Mr. Escalante to the point where they may cheat to please him. Eventually he gets his students to retake the test and again they all do well. It was a very nice movie that kept me interested in the story. Mostly, I enjoyed seeing Mr. Escalante interact with the kids and get them interested in their math.

Brainstorm for Paper #2

I know that the paper is about what makes a great teacher. My thesis should be relatively easy considering I am a teacher. This section is especially interesting to me because it will help me to become a better teacher to my students by looking from their point of view. I was trying to think of what I struggle with most as a teacher and it has to be patience for sure. If I had to say one single quality that would be the most important I would have to go with patience. So my thesis will probably be based on that. The other things that are in important and would make a good thesis would be motivation and getting the children interested in what you have to say. Those are just a few ideas that I have right now. Hopefully after watching the two movies I will have some more ideas that will help to strengthen my thesis and my second formal paper.

What makes a good teacher?

There are many great qualities that make a teacher good. However, the qualities that each teacher possesses vary with the age group the teacher is in charge of. For example, a great preschool teacher is not held to the same standards as a college professor. The most important quality would have to be patience. There isn't a teacher around that wouldn't agree that is an important quality. What makes a great teacher is the desire to teach a child. More than the desire is the determination and commitment to the child, until the very last test. Having a great teacher a the front of a classroom, rather than a bad teacher, makes the learning experience so different. Each child would agree, if a teacher lacks the skills or the will to have that commitment, than the classroom follows suit. Why would a child have interest if the teacher doesn't? What makes a good teacher is having all the good qualities and a lot of patience to engage the children. A child that uses a lesson to correlate in the real world, also helps. Especially with math. When in the higher levels of schooling, like college, the job has a different approach  because o the older age and the difference in maturity. What makes a good teacher in college is more about motivation and less about patience. Each teacher is different, but the ones that are great are memorable and truly make a difference in the lives of their students.

Jamie Escalante

"Jaime Escalante became famous for his work with troubled, "unteachable" high school math students. His story was told in the 1988 film Stand and Deliver"

 "That year his story was the subject of a book entitled Jaime Escalante: The Best Teacher in America..."

"Escalante has received many awards for his contributions to the field of education, including the Presidential Medal for Excellence and was inducted into the National Teachers Hall of Fame in 1999"

Citation
http://www.biography.com/people/jaime-escalante-189368

It seems that Mr Escalante was most well known for his ability to teach troubled teens. He did very well with teaching teens that other teachers had written off as "unteachable" The real Jamie Escalante died of cancer, which is very sad. It is amazing to see that he had come from another country to America and taught teens here. Engaging the student in activities that was relavant to their everyday lives was what made him a great teacher in his real career. It is also amazing to see how much he was loved by his students and the teaching community. Winning a few different awards of which one was the Presidential Medal for Excellence just adds to his already glowing portrait of teaching excellence. Jamie Escalante was a man that overcame many hardships to help others do the same thing.He also hosted a PBS show that would show his students how math is used in everyday life. This included visits from celebrities and scientists. He gave back to the community more than he was obligated to and for that he is well studied by any student or teacher.