Chapters 3-4

2. Share 3 (three) exact quotes that are meaningful to you (from across these two chapters), and explain why they matter to you.

On page 29, it discusses a teacher's core beliefs. "I cannot accord you dignity unless I make you my partner in creating a classroom that mirrors the world we both want to live in."
I loved this quote because of it's wisdom and simplicity. Students are validated and made to feel important when we give them the power to have a voice in the structure and overall feel of the classroom. They have to be partners in the process instead of individuals that are merely acted upon.

On page 33, it reads "The persistent teacher generously acknowledges the distance a student has come academically, but also makes it clear the distance each student has yet to go."
This quote is important to me because it reinforces that teachers must celebrate all improvement that our students make no matter how small it may seem. However, it is just as vital that we help our students understand that the learning process is never finished. They still have more to learn and grow but the students will now know that you will celebrate their future successes as well.

On page 40, a teacher discusses her feelings on the classroom environment. She says "...humor is used "to make us better," not to "make us hurt."
I feel like teachers everywhere need to have this view of humor in the classroom. Humor certainly has it's place in the classroom. It can "defuse tense situations" when used in a positive way. However, negative and sarcastic humor can just as quickly wound a fragile child. Humor should never be used to isolate a student and make him or her the butt of a joke. Like most this in this world, humor can be used for good or bad.