Friday, May 23, 2014
Blog Work #2: Holly's "Teacher Man" audio and your response (due Tuesday, 5/27)
After reading the article (in your Read to Succeed packet) while listening to my audio, I want you to answer the following question as a comment to this post:
What makes Teacher Man an unconventional teacher? In other words, in what ways is he unconventional? Explain as fully as possible.
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I think that the TeacherMan is an unconventional teacher because he uses his class excuse note to explain them that they have really good abilities to write those excuses. Why is that an unconventional way to teach? It is because we suppose that excuse notes must be written by parents, and in this case it did not happen; the notes had been made by the students. The teacher wants to take advantage of students’ abilities to write any homework that he gave them. For example, the fluent, imaginative, clear and focused way that students write would be used in daily activities. Also, when they explain fantastic and creative stories like ceilings collapsing, heart attacks, miscarriage and other different things, they are improving their skills.
ReplyDeleteMost of the teachers with this kind of problem to resolve in class often call the parents to ask whether they really wrote the note read early in the morning. Mr. McCord did an activity in the classroom, instead. The activity was about doing an excuse note in the future for their children which made the students really immersed in the art of writing excuse note.
In my opinion, I never could have imagined that one advance of that situation would be the most interesting activity in classroom for the students. Take the excuse notes written by students instead for their parents, and see how they enjoy learning the abilities of writing. For that reason, I think TeacherMan is an unconventional teacher.
This is an EXCELLENT response, Alejandro. I think you have "hit the nail on the head."
DeleteAfter reading the article I think that the TeacherMan is an unconventional teacher for two reasons.
ReplyDeleteThe first reason is that he uses the ability of his students to write the imaginative and creative notes to improve their writing skills. That means that he try to motivate them. I think that the TeacherMan realizes that his students are motivated for this topic. For this reason he did these experiment in class. He though that if you want to teach them, you have to use one interesting topic.
The second reason is that he tries to educate them. When they simulated that they were parents they can understand that it was not the way if you want to educate your own sons and daughters.
In conclusion, there are many ways to educate students and help them enhance their skills - writing skills, in this case -. When I studied in my High School I had never seen this kind of teacher and I though that it is not usual to see one teacher use the forging excuses notes to teach students.
Your first point is good. I like the word "experiment." He's unconventional because he experiments in his class--tries different things to reach his students.
DeleteI don't understand your second reason exactly.
When you were in high school, you probably didn't have the same kind of challenging students that Mr. McCourt had!
Teacher man is unconventional teacher because he simulated his students in the same way they are used to. His students had urged about writing homework even though they were ok with writing their own excuse notes, instead of their parents. In addition, Mr.McCourt wouldn't have seen these excuses as a treasure unless he had an epiphany that changed the way he viewed these excuse notes. Undoubtedly, this epiphany had given Mr.McCourt an intelligent idea to extract all these treasures trove from his students. As a result, he had done a persuasive assignment that had encouraged his students to unleash their talents in writing excuses.
ReplyDeleteYes. His epiphany was the realization that these excuse notes were true treasures of writing. An epiphany is the moment when the little light bulb goes off in your brain and you say "now I get it!"
Delete"unleash their talents" NICE PHRASE!
Teachers are like a combination of information and experience. Information that they learned in university and experience they had been living which they can transfer the information in a best way to his or her students. Teacher man added a beneficial skill which makes his class unusual: personality.
ReplyDeleteYears ago, I read an interview of an interview of the most successful coach in soccer. He said ''in a team is most important adapt your formation to your players, not your players to your formation''. It means that if you work with groups of people, you cant do the same work with everybody. All of them have advantages and disadvantages, so the result of your ''match'' might be more beneficial when you find a way how your team feel comfortable. Mr. McCourt did it.
He found how to makes his ''team'' ''play'' in a way that everyone can play with their advantages. He saw that his students work better when they do what they can do well or that they can exposed their imagination. It makes his class methodology unusual and fun.
In high school had some unusual teachers, and all my class love them. In fact, all of their students love them. Because they know their students and also that they have different advantages, they made them work in activities that they can utilize their skills. To sum up, Mr. McCourt knew their students have qualities that he cant waist, and his unusual excuse notes writing makes to his students enjoy writing.
The soccer coach is absolutely correct. Unfortunately, too many teachers come to the class with their goals and plans without considering the makeup of the class first.
DeleteThis is an excellent response.
ReplyDeleteTeacher has had significant impact in some pupils awful habits .Smart teacher who has realized student's problems can change their behavior while he or she solve it . I mean the way teacher has chosen it to correct student's mistake maybe reflect their reaction in the class room as Teacher Man did .
In stead of blame the young people or children teacher Man has found a miracle said in the high school pupils . With this solution he has discovered their writing skill. He , on the other hand , encourage them to write and write . Consequently , they like the class , teacher , and subject .
Finally, in each school teacher is the best leader if he or she has ability to make the students like what they will do . Because usually some students have felt mundane in the class room .
Yes. Instead of blaming them or accusing them of lying, he uses the excuse notes to help them improve their writing. This approach makes the students like their class, teacher, and subject, as you say.
DeleteLesson #1 in teaching: It is far easier to teach students who like what they're doing than those who don't like what they're doing.
The teacher-Man was very observant. The wise or brilliant idea came from students on their own. Students helped the teacher-Man to teach them.
ReplyDeleteExcuse notes were the key of teaching. Since those excuse notes written by students rather than the parents, all of what they wrote of imagination and creativity of the lies came from them.
Teacher-Man is an unconventional teacher because he discovered that students have the ability and skills on writing. Convert from the homework way to the writing excuses way “during the class, or at home “indicates intelligence and wisdom teacher. Of course, this has helped the students to enhance their abilities and skills in writing.
Since the idea came from the students, this does not imply that the teacher was unable in the creation of ideas. On the contrast, his intelligence in attracting students to like the writing made students like him and like the subject. This is evidence of intelligence and Wisdom that “all teacher should have”
Finally, his way of teaching unconventional. Simply the idea itself is unique. And it's not a task of teaching assignments
You made several good points here.
Delete1. The teacher has to observe the students to decide how best to teach. In this case, Teacher Man sees the excuse note as a learning tool. He doesn't accuse them of lying, as other teachers might do; rather, he simply looks at the writing.
2. Teacher Man's wisdom comes from knowing how to attract the students to his subject. He knows that writing on a boring topic is boring for his students, but giving them a topic that interests them will produce positive results. For example, my son's math teacher always gives the boys math problems related to sports because he knows that this motivates most of the boys.
3. The very idea of turning excuse notes into a writing assignment is unique, as you say.
In my opinion, the reason that make the Teacher Man an unconventional because he have different way to teach his children .According to the passage , he found that when he wrote on the broad " For Homework Tonight ' the word homework carries negative connotation there is no passion .He notice that parent no have time for writing note. they asked kids to do it and then they just sign it.He discovered that kids can wrote a brilliant excuse note and they can find a lot of excuse. He found that this is a good advantage which they can practice their writing skill.
ReplyDeleteIn conclusion, It does not matter which way teachers teach student .The point is teacher should create suitable way for their student in order to improve student's ability.
Yes, I agree that it is the teacher's role to find a suitable way to teach his students--and its not "one size fits all."
DeleteNowadays, all teachers around the world have their own ways to teach their students. Most of them has a good way to give the students the lesson in an easy way or make them love the subject . After I have read the article, I found that the teacher man is unconventional teacher because he had used the best way to make the students love the writing by use their ability to write about their problems. Also, the teacher knew that the word homework carries negative connotations and the students urged the writing homework; however, the teacher erased the word, and they can start it in the class and continue at home. To sum up, there are many ways to teach the students, but in my opinion the best ways to teach them is finding what they love.
ReplyDeleteYes, it is true that the word "homework" carries negative connotations and the way to reach his students (who are not the most motivated in the world when it comes to academics) is to give them an assignment that relates to them as well as something they will enjoy doing.
DeleteIn my opinion, teacher man is unconventional teacher because he used students' forging excuses to let his students know that they have a good ability in writing. After he read their forging excuses, he realized that his students are capable to write well by using their imagination if they want.He noticed that his students wrote very well because they want to convince the teacher about their excuses.Consequently, he decided to take an advantage from that by giving his students an interesting topic,which is to write an excuse note from Adam to God or from Eve to God,to make them use their great imagination to do their homework. Most of teachers will blame their students when they did something wrong,but teacher man's reaction was not ordinary.He encouraged his student to use their ability to write well in their homework as in their excuses and at the same time he educated them by letting them know that he knows that their excuses are forger.In conclusion,teacher man is unconventional teacher because his way of teaching is unusual and effective.
ReplyDeleteBEAUTIFUL RESPONSE!
DeleteEVERYBODY SHOULD READ THIS! YOU HAVE HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD!
Actually, I couldn't understand before I read this article. parents write excuse note for their children? In Korea, excuse note is always written by student. I've never asked my parents to write excuse note. However, after I read this article, I noticed that it's different here. Moreover, in my opinion, Teacher man is unconventional teacher because he change the traditional teaching way. It's not east to change something even more teaching. Because of these reasons, Teacher man's way is unconventional.
ReplyDeleteYes, but what about the traditional teaching does he change exactly?
DeleteI think that this teacher is unconventional for several reasons. First, as we know, excuses for students who miss class are usually written by their parents. However, he wants that the students written their own excuses to allow them to deal with any homework.
ReplyDeleteMoreover, he uses several ways to teach. He don't use lectures compared to other teachers, he gives an introduction of the lesson before the course. Also he allows the students to talk to each other about the course and teach each other. He wants them to be able to apply what they learn in the real life.
All these things together shows why he is an unconventional teacher.
He doesn't want them to write excuses to help them deal with their homework. He wants them to write the excuses because he recognizes the potential for GREAT WRITING; he sees the excuse notes as creative, imaginative, and fully developed. He is NOT able to get this kind of writing from the "conventional" homework assignments.
DeleteWriting excuse notes by students is happened even every day in high school, most of teachers think it is an usual thing and ignore, just like people know lying is not a good thing, but everyone lies when he(she) think it is necessary. However Teacher Man turned this usual bad thing to a really good thing, so obviously he is a unconventional teacher.
ReplyDeleteExactly.
DeleteFirst of all ,I think student's attitude makes Teacher Man an unconventional teacher. According to the last paragraph,we can see when teacher wrote "homework" to the board,students look unhappy, I think this situation happen everyday ,therefore teacher change the way to teach.
ReplyDeleteAccording to article ,teacher man found the excuse notes can makes students exciting and eager,meanwhile, students can improve their writing and imagination, therefore he lets students write excuse notes at interesting topic instead Essay or something else,it's unconventional
It is not the students' attitudes that make Teacher Man unconventional. What makes him unconventional is his turning the excuse notes into the writing lesson, as you explain in your second paragraph.
DeleteIn my view opinion, Teacher Man is an unconventional teacher for several rational reasons. Absolutely, every teacher has his or her own method to teach. It could be different from others teachers. Teacher Man found that "homework" carries negative connotations for his students, so he used his ability in teaching to make more interesting to students. That showed us how Teacher Man is succeed in teaching. In conclusion, reading students' mind in terms of knowing what he likes and hates could assist the teachers to hand over a lot of knowledge for students.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you've written.
DeleteTeacher Man has done a great job with his students. He used their ability to make them believe in their self that they have perfect imagination to write more than they think. Students’ nature don’t believe in their self they need another way of teaching to improve their writing like what Teacher Man has done. In our time, conventional way of teaching doesn’t work like fifteen years ago the students need tricky way to make them exited in the class. The best part I like it, when Teacher Man make them use their ability in their imagination to improve their writing.
ReplyDeleteWhy do you think the "conventional way of teaching" doesn't work anymore? I'm curious to hear your response.
DeleteIn my opinion, I think that the conventional way of teaching makes students feel bored about being in class because of some reasons. First, attending class and listening what a teacher saying is a very old way of teaching. These days, we have new technologies which may help students understand and be active more during the class. Second, the wold homework has a bad effect on students because for some teachers homework means you have to do it otherwise you are going to lose grades. That might cause stress for students and make them hate school since early ages. I think, Teacher Man has a good way of teaching and giving homework which can help his students enjoy the class and do their homework without any negative thoughts. Also, I think he is an unconventional teacher because he makes his class more interesting and teaches his students by using a way which they like.
ReplyDeleteI agree with everything you have written here, especially with the idea that the word homework has a negative connotation for most students. Home for most of us is supposed to be a place of warmth and comfort and safety, not a place of work, so the two words "home" and "work" make a very bad combination!
DeleteA question for you: In what way would you use technology to help students be more active in class? Do you mean using a computer lab or do you have something else in mind?
Most of teachers in my country have only way of teaching from Primary School to High School and after all: College and University. The teacher is full of knowledge, students are none of knowledge. They stand front of the board, write all information from books on that, more over explain what is the meaning of information. When time is over, they give some homeworks about that lesson. If anyone does not do homework from last class, it will be the worst day of their student’s life.
ReplyDeleteSo when I listened the TeacherMan, I was impressive about his method of teaching. First, it is Mr. McCourt’s behavior to his student, he’s not angry even though he already knows it not from their parents. Second, in these excuse notes, he can see talent of his student and he have a brilliant thinking to improve his student in writing excuses. If he’s not a experient teacher, I do not think he will find a method like that.
By the way, Mc. McCourt is a talented teacher. He’s not usual teachers whom I have seen all of my entire life. I hope that some teacher will learn a psychology class to understand their students’s feeling therefore they can unleash their student’s genius side. And I think that it should not just only my country’s teacher.
"unleash their students' genius"
DeleteNICE PHRASE!
We can also talk about "unleashing our potential." A leash, btw, is the rope we place around a dog's neck. So to unleash our potential means to set it free.
I certainly hope that your experience with teachers in the US will be different than your experience back home.
ReplyDeleteEverything in this life has been developing to good or bad .as result; of reading this article I’ve noticed that teacher man is unconventional for several reasons. The essential one is improving their writing skills with wide imagination instead of punishing them for the forging excuse. Everyone can learn fast as much as he (she) learns what he likes and that the reason why he gave them homework about writing “an excuse note from Adam to God” or “an Excuse note from Eve to God” because he knew that they will write excuse no one has thought about it.