Chapter 2

Central to teaching is what we as teachers ought to teach, meaning what we want students to know, understand, and be able to do. The second element that is central to teaching is who we teach. The two elements that are central to teaching means that as a teacher students should be what I am thinking of first when I am make, implement, and reflect on my professional plans. I learned that students come to the classroom to make sense of the world and of their place in the world. They also come looking for affirmation, partnership, accomplishment, and freedom. Because students are looking for freedom, I learned that students are better learners when their way of learning is accepted. This is important for me to include in my classroom. By allowing students to have freedom and allowing them to learn in their own way, I can fulfill the needs of my students. I learned that it is a teacher’s job to make the link between the basic needs of students and the curriculum. By allowing students to learn the material in their own way, I am making the link between the curriculum and the students’ need of freedom. In this chapter I learned about responsive teaching and how it means that a teacher is attuned to a students varied learning needs as much as the requirements of the curriculum. Teachers can benefit more students by implementing patterns of instruction that serve multiple needs. One way I can do this in my classroom is by teaching in multiple ways and by giving students the option to work alone or work in pairs.