week 4 monday

environment your challenge is to construct a laboratory for learning—sufficiently broad and varied to challenge a range of interests an abilities, and yet focused enough to offer kids some coherent rhythms and goals

the environment more than the physical— it is a complex living mix of values, beliefs, and expectations –two schools, two classrooms can be identical in all physical aspects yet provide markedly different environments for the kids (and teachers) the most important environment is not visible—rather what is valued, what is accessible, what is expected, and so on

constructing an environment for becoming a teacher (ideas from Bill Ayers) practice: take many risks, make many mistakes surround yourself with people you can talk with read teachers, e.g., Paley stay alive in your mind as an adult: develop passions and continue to pursue them explore the invisibility of good teaching build a strong relationship with your mentor; direct her/him to be a better mentor; look at the classroom together take moral responsibility for your education don’t ask kids to do what you don’t do, e.g., make a summer reading list not only realistic to hope, necessary to hope

wednesday

teaching whatever else teaching is, teaching is a conversation. if the conversation is good, learning occurs. if the conversation is bad... in lesson study teachers work to improve the conversation –with each other –with the kids work to take control of their part in the conversation on teaching