Here is the answer I give: This question can be answered through three distinct quotes: The first: "Never, never, never, never, never give up" by Winston Churchill. Students in my class will learn the remarkable feeling of accomplishment when they continue to persevere through challenges. Though the road is bumpy... continue ever forward. The second was from my cooperating teacher during clinical experience. He would remind his students a number of times a day that: "When in doubt, check it out!" This fosters an independence within the students that will lead them to become life-long learners. Finally, the last quote is from a song by Louis Armstrong. "What a Wonderful World!" I hope that my lessons inspire an appreciation of the world and its many wonders. Life truly IS a gift... and we should, in turn, say thanks by 'giving back' whenever possible.
My answer talks about i want them to realize that learning is something that can, and does, happen every day and in any place, not just in the classroom.
I'm hoping to influence my kids in lots of small ways. I would love it if they learned some math, but, big picture, I want them to learn a lot more from me: - I want them to love learning, and to realize that it doesn't ever end. - I want them to realize that it's OK to make a mistake and that I won't make a big deal out of it. - I want them to realize that they CAN DO MATH, in spite of the lack of success some of them may have had prior to my class. - I want them to realize that, regardless of how they do in my class, I like each of them as an individual. - I want them to learn that my class is a place where no one will make fun of them. - I want them to learn that it's OK to laugh at yourself-- I do it fairly frequently. -And, given my medical issues over the past year, I want them to realize that a breast tumor isn't a death sentence. Some of my kids know a bit about my medical history. While I didn't make a public announcement, I did say I would answer any questions that anyone felt like asking after school. This year, once we get settled, I would like to let guidance know that I'm open to questions from the kids who are either going through the experience themselves or have friends or family members facing a mastectomy &/or radiation treatments. Not as any sort of a medical expert, but as someone who has been in those shoes and survived.
I always write something about how I want them to learn to love learning and reading because that will always take them places and how important they are to our/their future.
I want my students to learn that they are valuable human beings with great potential. I want them to learn that their thoughts, opinions and feelings matter. I want them to learn that they can learn, grow and change every day. I want them to learn that making mistakes does not equate with failure; those mistakes help lead us to success.
I always say with the addition of learning is forever, that words hurt, so "if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all". My students were kinders.
I passed a church of some sort the other day. On the placard outside, were words to the effect of: "Sticks and stones can break your bones But words can break your heart." Nicely put, isn't it?
