The Essential 55

I went into my classroom to get everything ready for distance learning and searched everywhere I could think of for my Reading in the Wild and Novel Approach books. I could not find them. I am not sure where they are at this point which makes me sad.

I did, however, find The Essential 55. I guess fate decided my book choice. It has been a good read so far. I am on Rule 20 right now. I have gotten good insight into the author, Ron Clark, and how he runs his classroom. I think his approach to teaching and students is one that everyone should take. He definitely goes above and beyond for his students. I'm not saying that everyone needs to go out and raise thousands of dollars to have an impact on their students, but we can do what we can to give our students learning experiences they will remember forever. 

His approach to teaching brings the curriculum to life for his students and shows them how it will apply to their lives in the real world. Taking what they are learning and teaching them how to make business calls, write an ad for a newspaper, and write letters to approach businesses for donations are all skills they will need to have beyond school. We should approach our students and our teaching the same way. Give them skills that will help them succeed in life and apply it to the standards we are required to teach. 

As a reading teacher, I can bring in real life examples of texts that people use in their adult lives and show my students how to work through it. I can teach them how to have professional conversations, write letters, answer phone calls, behave in an interview, etc. All of these things have a literacy connection. Teaching my students to not only analyze characters in stories, but analyze the characters in their lives (friends, teachers, family members, etc.) will give them skills they need.

Ron Clark talks also about taking an interest in your students' lives. Not just a superficial interest. He mentioned learning how to double dutch. It took him a long time to learn. He failed numerous times in front of his students, but that is what they did at recess so he didn't give up. By the end, his relationship with them and their respect for him had grown. It's not enough to just ask questions about students' interests and then move on. Bring it up a few weeks later to let them know that you remember and really do care. 

The power of positivity is also apparent in the book. It seems obvious, but this is something we need to teach our students. Help them to understand it is better to shine a light so that everyone can see, than to keep the light hidden for only your use. Students love to grumble when given assignments. We need to help them see that to view things with a positive lens, or at least not a completely negative lens, will get them through their lives much happier. 

I still have more to go before I'm finished with this book, but I have learned quite a bit from the parts I have read so far. Let me know if you have read the book and what your favorite takeaways are from it.