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Abstract
The main focus of chapter 2, as many of my peers below have stated, was to focus in on the most important and influential part of the teaching profession: the students. All humans are complex and unique in every aspect of life so adapting to the differences is a skill that all teachers must posses in order to be successful in the classroom. Adapting to change and providing a learning environment aimed for achievement is a requirement for teachers. On the second page of the chapter, the author states “The best teachers are mindful that teaching is judged by successful learning and that learners will inevitable and appropriately influence the effectiveness of the art we practice” (Tomlinson and McTighe, p. 13). A lesson plan cannot be a map for the rest of a unit but a guide that is subject to change. Any individual is able to state what he/she would like their learners to master but in order to guarantee the information is actually retained is where the challenge is. To avoid rather “script-like” teaching, the chapter provides many useful words of wisdom on [|how to build successful relationships] with future students whether it’s through assessments or just simply having conversations with individuals. That chapter tells us that “students should always be in the forefront of our thinking” (Tomlinson and McTighe, p. 13). This is beyond a necessity. Without students, there would be no teachers so we must be able to relate to students in a way where they feel safe and they respect the figure that educates them on a regular basis.

Synthesis
As a whole, the class made it clear that there are many reasons why a student may be unsuccessful with their academics. The book stated multiple reasons why a student may be suffering academically and it collaborates all the information into a chart in Figure 2.1 on page 17. However, the response that I felt was the most real was Jackie’s. She expressed a fear that she was worried about being able to relate to students which I’m sure is an overwhelming feeling for most of us as we enter this profession. Finding ways to break the ice with students will create that trust with students so when life does catch up with them, they are able to confide in an authority figure such as ourselves. This doesn’t need to be done on the first day of classes but throughout an entire school year. It’s unrealistic for a teacher to expect all his/her students to feel comfortable approaching them after an 80-minute class. Certain events that take place throughout a school year can trigger a bond between students and their teacher. Examples of such events are listed [|here]. The major idea that was focused on in each chapter analysis was the sense of getting to know students before presenting material to them. Also, many touched on the idea of how life catches up to people. As teachers, we must not lose sight of the fact that we were once students and have always had life outside of school. Being aware of this will only benefit the classroom atmosphere for students as well as teachers.

-Brittany Robbins

Cameron B.
Chapter 2: The importance of being able to adapt as a teacher is clearly emphasized in chapter 2. Teachers need to take into account the various amounts of different learning styles that they will have in a classroom at one time. Not each student will do well with a lecture every class where as others may excel. Not only do learning styles need to be considered, but a student’s life outside of the school can play a major factor in their classroom performance. If a student is struggling on tests when in the past they were great students, there is usually a reason why all of a sudden they are not performing well. The book uses the example of a student whose parents had recently separated and thought that by performing poorly in school it would force her parents to talk and maybe get back together. These are things teachers need to be aware of. Kids’ thoughts towards school will also be a challenge in some classes and need to be overcome. For students who don’t seem to care about school a teacher needs to design a lesson plan that will help the student have more fun or to think in a logical sense to help them realize what they are learning is important. Being able to make connections with students is helpful and will make them feel as if the teacher wants them to be there. This could simply be saying there name as they enter or exit the classroom. I plan on getting to know my students very well to make them feel as if they are wanted in my class.

Nicole C.
“A student’s personal crisis eclipse(s) the teacher’s well-developed plans” (Tomlinson and McTighe 13). As this chapter and my own experience clearly shows, this is a statement that rings true in every classroom across the country. Students are all unique, in everything ranging from learning styles to attitudes to home life. The trick to meeting each unique need, this chapter says, is to create “patterns of instruction” that reach a wide variety of students. A key way to gather the information necessary for these patterns is to get to know students. Both the book and my own experience in helping a student to grasp a difficult concept speak to the fact that if you can relate the material to the student’s interests, they will be much more willing and able to learn effectively. I definitely plan on doing this in my own future classroom. Getting-to-know-you surveys, observation/listening, and directly asking students to make connections between what they are learning in class and their own lives are all ways I can get to know my students. Once I know what interests them, I will be better able to connect those interests to the class material. One particular part of this chapter that struck a chord with me was the analogy relating students and teachers to actors in a “classroom drama.” It talked about certain things in the students’ lives shaping their educational experience, causing the teacher to have to re-write the “script” a little bit so that their needs could be met. One of my personal interests is theater, so this analogy made perfect sense to me. See? Right there is proof: spark the student’s interest, and they will take so much more away from what they are reading/hearing/doing.

Tyler R.
There were several things that I learned and really found quite interesting about this chapter. To start off with, I really liked what the chapter had to say about how a student’s personal life can mean everything about how they will be able to perform in the classroom and as a learner. Research shows, (and I agree), that if a student has an oppressive home life, struggling social life, or something that is affecting them outside of school, it will have an impact on them inside of school. The chapter also addresses the fact that as a teacher you cannot write off a student who is struggling. In that situation, as a teacher, I must try harder, adjust, adapt, and work with the student to find their specific needs as a learner. The chapter also hits a key point that I really agree with and that is that students look up to their teachers and want their teachers to like them, respect them, and want to teach them. With that being said it is extremely important for the teacher to make sure that their student feels all of these qualities by their teacher in order for them to be in the best mental state possible for learning. Finally, the book really reminded me of some of the strengths I myself have as a learner. I enjoy working in groups or with a partner in order to tackle a subject, lesson, or problem I’m not too sure about or am nervous about attempting on my own. I believe that giving students the option to work with a partner, (as long as the teacher can clearly see it is being productive for all students’ learning), is a positive thing.

Phillip C.
Chapter two really stated an obvious fact, but one that needs to be on every teachers mind at all times if they are to be successful. The most important part of teaching is the students. Teachers need to be able to accept that fact that their lesson plans are just an outline that can be altered if need be. I feel like that is something that is good to tell teachers in training. It takes a lot of work to make a lesson plan but no matter how proud you are of that plan, if some students will not be successful with it, you need to be able to adapt and change on the fly. I also thought that the stories of teachers attempting to discover what was causing problems with students in the classroom were helpful and a good reminder that a student’s wellbeing should come before curriculum. This process of making modifications so that all students can gain the required skills is called responsive teaching. Attending to a student’s background by making the curriculum relevant for them and making sure there is opportunity for academic growth for students of all levels were the parts of responsive teaching that stuck out most for me. I do realize however, that all aspects of it are important. I also liked the teaching strategies that cut across categories of learners and encompassed the idea of differentiated instruction quite well. All ten of the ideas that they give are very useful and strategies I will attempt to utilize in my future classroom.

Joe S.
Chapter 2 addresses students within the curriculum. It introduces possible and likely problems teachers will encounter at one point or another, and offers possible ways to remedy those situations. The most helpful tip on dealing with difficult students is to be accommodating to their needs and allow certain things as long as they do not interfere with lessons or other students’ learning.

This chapter branches off from the first and continues to delve into the importance of making the learning environment comfortable and adaptable to students’ needs. This ability to adapt is called “teaching responsively,” and necessitates a positive rapport with one’s students. Within those parameters, there are several areas of focus, such as fostering connections with students, creating a climate that acknowledges student efforts, attending to student backgrounds, and allowing students to have choices within their learning such as working individually or in partners.

Two concepts that I took from the chapter as very important were the ideas of many informal assessments and utilizing “higher end” teaching. The first of these two ideas makes understanding what the students further help on very easy, especially without the pressure of a grade. The second is something I would very much like to incorporate within my classroom, setting high expectations for all my students and working from there. It is a great idea to set high standards, challenging students to go into class expecting to work hard. Implementing this idea in my classroom may not be easy, as students come from all different skill sets and levels, but with some effort and consideration I think it is a very possible task.

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Jackie B.
The topics talked about in this chapter for me might be some of the scariest. I’m afraid that when I begin teaching I won’t be able to help a student because of something going on in their life, or that I won’t be able to know how to accommodate their needs. What if I can’t relate in anyway? How do I help someone going through an experience that I just couldn’t relate to. For example, what if a student of mine had recently lost a parent and as a result they began to act out or their grades were suffering. For me that just wouldn’t be something I could relate to because I’ve never lost a parent and I wouldn’t even know how to go about accommodating them and their situation. My goal is to try and be as attuned to everybody’s needs as I possibly can be but deep down I’m worried that I won’t be able to do that.

I’d also like to build a strong connection with my students. This chapter at one point suggests strong student-teacher relationships motivate students to learn a bit more. I believe that if I get to know them a little bit more and learn how the students tick then I’ll be able to better accommodate them. I also believe a strong sense of trust could really help. If they trust me then they may be a bit more receptive and open to trying new ways of learning and if I trust them then I might be able to trust them with a little bit more freedom when it comes to assignments and how they do things.

Brittany R.
I enjoyed reading the second chapter because I felt it was very realistic to what students experience all the time. In high school, I had many friends that struggled at home, with sports, with work, etc. and in some way, their schoolwork suffered. The first reaction of the teacher was to blame the student first and claim he/she was lazy. Life catches up to everyone once in a while and I feel that, coming to that realization, will only benefit teachers and their students. It was also nice that the student’s stories were legitimate. Books I have read in the past have written fictional stories. It reinforces what the chapter was talking about as responsive teaching. By being more aware of the reasoning behind an individual’s behavior will not only benefit the teacher-student relationship, but create a trust and respect between the two as well to enable a better learning atmosphere.

I liked the idea in the chapter that had to do with note cards. It gave an idea to hand out note cards and have a question or two relevant to the teaching from the day for each student to fill out (or in my case, solve) before they leave. This will not only reinforce what was taught but also touch bases on what students need help with. I think this would also help the teacher focus on what students may need as individuals and who may need more assistance than another’s. I think that I will do this in my classroom as a way to bond with my students as well as check my teachings.

Ali P.
I loved how the opening of this chapters explained teaching as an art form. Teaching is art. You are constantly rearranging your lessons to see how they feel best and using creativity. There is a sense of wonder teachers feel when working with students, similar to an artist. The basis of this chapter focused on the classroom’s environment and giving it a sense of comfort. Comfort is so important for students to feel because without it they will not learn. Teachers can form comfort by getting to know their students and treating them as a friend. Something as simple as using a students name when you speak to them can give them a sense of comfort. The chapter spoke of teachers getting to know their students home lives. I wanted to know how a teacher should go about doing this with out loosing their students comfort. I remember in high school my math teacher would take time out of his class everyday to talk to his class about nothing related to school. It felt like a normal conversation with friends and created a sense of comfort that lasted though the whole class. Teachers must constantly be asking themselves questions about their students to make sure they are not overlooking the classes comfort. When teaching it is easy to over look the students thoughts and focus on the content. By always keeping the students in mind, teachers will be able to accomplish more in their lessons.

Andrew C
In the beginning of chapter two I thought the author made a great point when she said “Each year, students reinforce for those teachers that the journey is a shared endeavor and that the best-laid plans of the best teachers are just that–plans, subject to change.” (Pg. 13) A lot of teachers get stuck on the idea that their schedule needs to go directly as planned. They get thrown off and frustrated when students or other outside factors throw their schedule off. As this chapter stressed it is the students that come first and our schedules and plans for theses students should be flexible and be able to change around any situation that pops up. This chapter showed me the importance of really working with students when they are having a problem in class. In high school I saw many students who had similar problems to the students in the book, but the teachers reacted very differently. Many of the teachers would just assume that a kid was being difficult on purpose when they did not want to read or do a certain assignment. This chapter shows us that this is barely ever the case and that there is usually a root to the student’s problem and that this problem can be worked through if you put enough time and effort. I will also be sure to remember in my classroom that students are not just there to learn, but also for social interaction and expect to be treated as young adults and not just kids.

**Jackson F.**
Curriculums can be well planned out and effective if given the time to organize and evaluate what is being taught. However, a great curriculum can mean nothing if the students who are being taught are not taken into consideration. Teachers must accommodate to numerous students who require different needs. These needs can vary from students personal lives to learning problems. Students are all much alike; they are looking for a sense of self meaning, roles, value, and possibilities. Within the classroom students are looking for affirmation, affiliation, accomplishment and autonomy. A quality curriculum can play a central role for students to achieve what they’re looking for; however, it is the teachers’ job to bridge basic human needs and curriculum together. By teaching responsively helps ensure that students receive what they’re looking for while also sticking to the curriculum. Being responsive helps students feel more comfortable, therefore encouraging more effective learning. Teachers must understand that every child comes from a different background and may need special attention at times. Some differences include biology, degree of privilege, positioning for learning and preferences. This is why it is important to know the students early on in the curriculum. By getting to know my students it will help me adapt the way I connect with them, thus learning how to be a more effective educator. I realize that education is much more than teaching a specific subject and that education is used to help students grow emotionally as well as spiritually. In order to help students grow in those areas within the classroom the teacher must play an active role in helping them further those areas. That is done by teaching in a responsive manner.

Meng H.
Chapter 2 talked about the connection between teaching and students. Teaching is a process making sure that learning is taking place within a student. Responsive teaching is a procedure in which teaching is tailored to the student in order to reach the curriculum goal. Since every student is a distinctive individual, then the teaching method that is necessary to insure learning should be adapted to meet students’ needs. Responsive teaching puts students in the center of teaching along with curriculum. Before planning and implementing instruction, teachers should get to know their students first. Their race, family structure, SES, cultural background, learning styles and skills, MI, etc. are all deciding factors for teachers to do course preparation. Responsive teaching also means building a caring and trusting learning environment so that students’ needs are being met and they are still being motivated. Throughout the course, teachers should take notes, do observation and give formal/informal assessments to monitor students’ growth and adjust instruction accordingly. There are several approaches to responsive teaching listed and explained in the book that are helpful techniques that will meet the needs of students from different backgrounds. A challenge of responsive teaching, in my opinion, would be how to tailor teaching to each student’s needs but avoid individualized teaching. I think after collecting data from pre-assessment, the teacher can divide students into groups periodically based on various factors whenever it is suitable for the material and format the teacher employs. A group of advanced students could be working on some challenging homework while the other group of students with less pre-acquired skills could get an extra small lesson from the teacher. When a situation fits, the teacher can also group together advanced students with students who could use a little buddy help, while at the same time the teacher could provide assistive technology to a student who has an IEP.

Clayton P.
This chapter, entitled “What really matter in teaching?(The Students),” illustrates exactly what it suggests: that the students are the most important part of teaching in any environment. This chapter mainly focuses on the individual needs of the students and how to accommodate them in the classroom. The author then offers several examples of students who require certain individual needs in order for them to learn effectively. The author refers to this as “responsive teaching.” Among the examples given included a girl whose parents separated and neglected doing her school work. Her thinking was that her parents’ mutual concern for her poor performance in school would bring them back together. Another example included a boy who could not sit still during class, and was scolded by previous teachers for not sitting still. As it turns out, he was a highly kinesthetic learner, and learned better when he was moving around. I found this chapter to be highly informative, mainly for illustrating some of the types of issues my future students will have and how to address them. It reemphasizes a point which no teacher, or prospective teacher for that matter, should ever lose sight of: the student is the most important part of the classroom. If your students cannot receive the attention they need, they will not be able to learn effectively, thus losing classroom productivity. This chapter shows how responsive teaching works to the advantage of student and teacher alike. The students receive the help they need to learn more effectively, and the teachers know what kind of help to give the students to teach them more effectively.

Emily H.
As a teacher, you need to be able to adapt to any situations that come up in the classroom and be ready for anything. Without this ability to be responsive it is hard to connect it your students and meet their needs. Some students respond when their interests are involved in the learning. I am interested in sport, so I feel like I learn better when I can put things in terms of a sport. Also sports is something I like learning about. If some of my students shared this interest then I could play into it and do an activity involving sports history or making a “game plan” for a battle in World II. Activities like this tap into interest making learning fun and to show my students I am interested in what they are so they are able to connect with me. I found it interesting about student’s readiness as a learner. Understanding where my students are in their readiness with a topic can show me whether more time is needed on the topic to for them to fully understand the topic. By doing this I will be able to get the best educational experience for the students. Another point about being responsive that jumped at me is attending to student’s learning profile. By knowing is there are any IEPs or learning disabilities I will be able to give them the help they might need to learn. When teachers are understanding about issues surrounding a students work the student is more likely to work in a way that suits them, but also make them comfortable doing it.