Comments on: Change? What kind of change will you make?

By: Don Malic

Don Malic — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 17:53:48 +0000

I agree with this article because it’s important for teachers to change and also listen to their students. People change because they want to make a situation better for themselves or other people. In the classroom, as a teacher you are going to have to change your styles of teaching for some students in order for them to understand the material. Also, students like when teachers change how they teach because it makes it more interesting for students and exciting. Nobody likes when teachers teach the same way everyday. It’s BORING! Also, all teachers want to make a difference in their students lives and want to see their students succeed in life.

By: Anna Marquez

Anna Marquez — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 17:15:35 +0000

I agree with this article and I think that change in the classroom is a good thing, especially for teachers. Teachers must realize that change is not only a good thing, but it is a necessary thing. It is impossible to teach one class and then the next year teach the exact same curriculum same way. Students learn differently. Teachers need to realize that not all their students are going to learn the same way, and I liked in the article when he said not all students learn the same way as you do. I think that this is easy to forget, just because some students are getting it in five minutes other students may need a whole day, this is why change is necessary. It is also so important to listen. To listen to the students especially, this is key to their success as students and your success as teachers. You can’t just assume things with your students and in order to understand them you must listen. Listening is not only important with your students but it truly is important with each person that you come in contact with in your teaching profession.

By: Amber Slenk

Amber Slenk — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 16:57:21 +0000

Again, it’s been said that this is a great reminder for teachers, and it truly is! There’s also a hope in this article that is wonderful to hear. Unfortunately, teachers can lose sight of what they truly want to do: to impact children and to change their lives for the better. I have seen it happen many times. Thankfully, that’s never the end of things. It’s never too late to step back, take time to go back to your original goal and consider the student’s lives instead of only their grades or attitudes. Change is difficult especially as we get older, but it’s also necessary to our call as teachers. With time comes change. I think that God calls us to embrace our kids throughout change. Impacting kids will last a lifetime no matter how teaching standards change.

By: Nick Gierman

Nick Gierman — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 05:04:48 +0000

I think change is a great thing yet at the same time, it can be a scary thing. As a future educator, I am learning more about myself daily. I feel that I have changed in the last few years, as I never thought I would go into education as a career. Listening to others is a great concept. At times, I have felt that teachers never listened to the students. They have just seemed to go about their daily business and go home. It is my hope that I will inspire my students to want to learn more and want to come to school. I believe that a lot of teachers have the intention of making a difference in their students’ lives, but how can they do that if they don’t listen to their students. Listening isn’t just hearing though. Teachers need to be attentive to how their students respond to teaching methods too. As Mr. Cohen stated, if your teaching methods are only reaching a small percentage of the class, you are not being an effective teacher and something needs to change.
But it is not just the students that teachers should pay attention to. We need to learn from our colleagues, parents, and administrators in order to provide a positive change in our students’ education. In order to do this, we must first realize that we as teachers may have to change our style and come out of our comfort zone to positively impact our students.

By: Michael Parton

Michael Parton — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 03:48:30 +0000

I’m glad to see that there is someone out there who is not afraid to challenge those teachers that have been around and seem to get stuck in their ways. That is how it was for me when I went through grade school. I completely agree with this article. It is never too late to change and it is always important to never forget why we want to be teachers. In having discussions with professors who have been teaching for a long time, I have found that it is very important to realize that not everyone thinks the same. That means that we do need to know how to re-state an idea so that we are reaching those learners who do think differently. The thing that I enjoy most about this article is that fact of listening. The way that it is put in this article makes us remember that input from outside sources is not to put us down or tell us we are not doing a good job. It is constructive criticism to help us become better educators. We need to remember that no matter how long we do something, there may always be someone who has a trick up their sleeve that we never knew about and it can help us. We don’t need to be afraid to listen.

By: Tania Anzaldi

Tania Anzaldi — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 02:34:39 +0000

What a great reminder that change is not a bad thing! Change can be a very good thing. I liked how he talked about how we teach the classroom according to how we learn. We definetly need to be aware that there are many different ways to learn not just yrou way. Keeping change in the environment i believe would also help keep the student more engaged. Students need structure yes but for children most of the time when you do something new and exciting they can usually adapt pretty well. I believe that not only as humans but as teachers we can always improve and change the way we do things. It is very important to listen to others because they might have come up with a better way of doing things or might have already researched a topic you are learning about. Society and standards change and as teachers we need to be will and ready to adjust to those changes but to also keep the students at the front of our minds. Great Article!

By: Christy Atton

Christy Atton — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 02:18:48 +0000

Every student is different and every classroom unique. Looking back on my education one major mistake made by some teachers was they expected all students to comply with their teaching style. We as teachers have the ability to create the best learning environment for each student. As brad stated,”Most teachers teach the same way they learn. That means we are probably not hitting 2/3 of our class in the most effective way.” I am becoming a teacher to help all my students succeed in and out of the classroom not just the ones who learn the same way I do. I agree with Laura, change needs to happen if teachers want all their students to succeed.

By: Annette Rounsaville

Annette Rounsaville — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 01:23:27 +0000

I also agree with this article with the saying that change is always for the good. Most of the time we may feel uncomfortable when the change is occuring but I dont think it is meant for us to feel good when we go through that stage. As we go through life and we experience different things, it is almost instantly that you can see the change within an individual. Also there are times when change is not so apparent and it takes much time and effort for someone to achieve their goals. I know being a born again Christian change is something that I am so used to because God is constantly making me a molding me into what he wants me to be. As I continue to grow, I try to take something from every experience that will help me while im on my cycle of change. As a teacher it is so important for you to be able to adapt to change within any given situation and learn to apply things so that you will be prepared when something else happens. I think God gave us variety for a reason, so that we can do things in order and learn how to do things differently. Its a good thing most of the time to add a little excitement to things. I once heard someone say, “variety is the spice of life!”

By: Lisa Mock

Lisa Mock — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 00:31:04 +0000

I totally agree with this this article. Change is always for the good, when you change something you are trying to make it better, not worse. I think that this article shows how important it is to be a teacher and how when you need to you can change things and make it better. You do not have to do the same thing for 50 years you change it and make it more exciting and worthwhile.

By: Jori Dotson

Jori Dotson — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 21:27:40 +0000

I agree with Brad that change is a very important part of the classroom. It is important for teachers to remember that everything they do is for the good of the students. We want to be teachers so that we can make a difference in students lives and make sure that they are learning to the best of their ability. It is very important that teachers listen and understand everything that everyone has to say to them. A teacher never knows everything and there is always room to learn. By listening to our students needs, you can become a better more affective teacher. I think that this article is important for every teacher to read and understand. Teachers need to be focused on the needs of their students and ready to make any changes that may be needed for the good of the students.