Kathy Rheams CIR 411

There were two things that "stuck" out to me and the first one was "Pursing High Expectations for All Students". The No Child Left Behind Act was intended to prevent students from being left behind, but I personally feel that this is not helping students because there are students who are being left behind because of this act. I believe that every student can learn and if we let them know that we expect them to be high achievers then they will begin to belive in themselves and they will begin to become high achievers in everything they do.

In order to help our students become high achievers we must first and foremost find out how these students learn and then we can implement ways to help them achieve their goals. Motivation is the key. When students see that we, as teachers, are motivated to teach them, then they will be more willing to learn and get involved in the learning process.

The second thing that "stuck" out to me was "Personalizing Teaching and Learning". This section stated that "Whenever possible focus on classroom conversations and how they relate to the students' own experiences. Their experiences can include observations abou the world, their family lives, their encounters with the Internet, any of these provide a meaningful context for academic content." I agree because students are more likely to particitpate in class discussion when they have experienced things that are being discussed in the classroom. For example, if we were discussing hygiene and why it is important, then students could relate because of the experiences they have at home when their parents make sure they have taken their baths/showers and brushed their teeth and their hair.

Getting students involved is very important in the learning process and by personalizing the learning process most students will be more than willing to get involved in discussions.