Lessons we can learn from children

We have to be open-minded and realize that every student comes from a different background and various traditions at home. As a future teacher I have learned that I must take note, comprehend, and share the thoughts of other students with the entire class because some may be shy to do so. How can we learn about a child if we don't listen to their personal lives? You would be surprised what some children go through at home. We need to support them and help them find a solution before it's too late. Our job is not to only preach our lessons but to listen to our student's opinions and personal stories. They may relate to a topic being taught and we must listen to their responses. I have learned to stop judging people by the way they look because at a young age we tended to do so (or learned to do so). As we grow older, we must realize that an outside appearance is a facade. Get deeper to acknowledge the truth of a person's action. Ralph Fletcher opened his horizons and balanced the confrontation of city students and their teachers. He opened their minds to realize how important it is to acknowledge every situation. I was shocked to read about the teacher's carelessness and negative remarks of their students effort. Positive reinforcement and focus towards that child's learning shows how much Ralph cared about the children's future. Regardless of their level of understanding he made sure they continued to understand the importance of writing and to reflect on what matters to them. For example, family, freinds, pets, whatever one takes to heart. Remember when Ralph was in the main office and a young boy walked in and said, "I said my mother died over the weekend." (Page 60 middle to end)How does one respond to that? What does your facial reaction look like? What was the secretary suppose to do? Don't you wonder if you were in that situation? What was going on through the boys mind? Did any staff member know anything about the situation? My heart melted when i read those words.