I was impressed by the Lit Circle group that went yesterday. I thought their powerpoint was very clear, and the information they presented was very precise and helpful with teaching the things we would really be able to use from their book. The idea of culturally relevant teaching really intrigues me. I commented one day in class about the risk of a teacher getting involved in the community because in my experience, most of my teachers have been relatively private about their personal lives. I always thought that it was important for a teacher not to reveal a great deal about themselves personally because it was the students that should get to know each other well. That's not to say that students shouldn't be comfortable with their teacher, or that the teacher should hide their values and beliefs, but that the teacher should be more focused on generating relationships among the students so that they can relate and work with each other. The idea of culturally relevant teaching requires a teacher to get involved in the community outside of school. I like this idea, but it is not for the faint of heart. Especially in urban and rural communities, it seems that everyone knows everyone else's business, so a teacher would have to be very careful to always set a good example in case someone was keeping track.

Further, I like the idea of the teacher as an artist. I have always thought that teaching is an art, not a science. I can't see any other way of teaching than to be flexible and move at the pace of the students so that they understand all of what is going on fully before moving on. I also think the method of considering all students to have the tools to succeed is key in a classroom, especially in the primary grades. If children feel challenged and supported, they are more likely to rise to the challenge and prove themselves. Students that feel like their teacher has already labeled them as a failure will be less likely to improve, and more likely to skate along at a passing grade, but not a satisfactory grade. I think when I have a classroom of my own, I'll take these aspects of culturally relevant teaching, and keep them near my desk as a reminder of some key things to remember each day when working with my students.