Becoming a teacherayers

Letter to the New York Times Letter to the New York Times June 18, 2007 June 18, 2007

In Chicago every third-grade teacher is unhappy with every secondIn Chicago every third-grade teacher is unhappy with every secondgrade teacher because, they report, “The kids aren’t ready!” grade teacher because, they report, “The kids aren’t ready!” Ditto every high school teacher in relation to every elementary andDitto every high school teacher in relation to every elementary andMiddle school teacher. And now, according to Karen Arenson Middle school teacher. And now, according to Karen Arenson (May 15, 2007), we can add college professors to the steady and (May 15, 2007), we can add college professors to the steady and tiresome whine: tiresome whine:

the students are unprepared.the students are unprepared.

It certainly would be convenient if young people arrived withIt certainly would be convenient if young people arrived witheverything, save some content we want to impart, already in place,everything, save some content we want to impart, already in place,but perhaps it’s more realistic for teachers at every level to stepbut perhaps it’s more realistic for teachers at every level to stepback, take a deep breath, and teach the diverse, uneven, complex back, take a deep breath, and teach the diverse, uneven, complex

andandwiggly students who actually show up in their classrooms. wiggly students who actually show up in their classrooms.

Bill AyersBill Ayers

Becoming a teacherBecoming a teacher

Distinguished Professor of Education at the Distinguished Professor of Education at the University of Illinois at Chicago University of Illinois at Chicago

William Ayers, M.F.A. Ed.D., M.Ed., M.A., B.A., William Ayers, M.F.A. Ed.D., M.Ed., M.A., B.A., SDSSDS

Teachers should see children Teachers should see children fully and completely not at risk fully and completely not at risk but at promise understanding but at promise understanding that that Each student is different—a dynamic, Each student is different—a dynamic, complex and idiosyncratic beingcomplex and idiosyncratic being

Teachers should not use label Teachers should not use label Teachers should not categorize by deficitTeachers should not categorize by deficitThe real challenge for teachers is to find The real challenge for teachers is to find

out what they can do, out what they can do, what they enjoy what they enjoy what engages their imaginations what engages their imaginations energiesenergies

Teachers should try to create an Teachers should try to create an environment that challenges and environment that challenges and nurtures the wide range of nurtures the wide range of studentsstudents

Teacher’s ideas preferences, values, Teacher’s ideas preferences, values, instincts, and experiences influence instincts, and experiences influence context called classroomcontext called classroom

Important to think about the Important to think about the atmosphere you want to create and atmosphere you want to create and the quality of experiences you want the quality of experiences you want students to have.students to have.

Identify your own values, preconceived Identify your own values, preconceived ideas and biases.ideas and biases.

Teachers should take on the Teachers should take on the task of building bridges to task of building bridges to deeper and wider ways of deeper and wider ways of knowing.knowing.

Engagement of student interests.Engagement of student interests.Bridging to the wider worldBridging to the wider worldNeed to understand the social, Need to understand the social,

historical,historical,

And political contexts of children’s And political contexts of children’s lives and find ways to participate there.lives and find ways to participate there.

What knowledge and experiences are What knowledge and experiences are of most value at this time?of most value at this time?

Teaching requires invention and Teaching requires invention and reinvention, dynamic involvement reinvention, dynamic involvement with growing and changing bodies with growing and changing bodies of knowledge, complex connection of knowledge, complex connection of human beings making new of human beings making new discoveries with traditional ways of discoveries with traditional ways of thinking and knowing.thinking and knowing.

The Challenge of The Challenge of LeadershipLeadership

Kouzes & Posner -surveyed 75,000 people Kouzes & Posner -surveyed 75,000 people over 25 years about willing leadership. over 25 years about willing leadership. Why people choose to follow leaders.Why people choose to follow leaders.

1. Honest2. Forward-looking3. Competent4. Inspiring5. Intelligent6. Fair-minded7. Broad-minded8. Supportive9. Straightforward10.Dependable

11. Cooperative12. Determined13. Imaginative14. Ambitious15. Courageous16. Caring17. Mature18. Loyal19. Self-

controlled20. Independent

The 5 Keys to The 5 Keys to Successful Successful LeadershipLeadership

1.1.Model the wayModel the way

2.2.Inspire a shared visionInspire a shared vision

3.3.Challenge the processChallenge the process

4.4.Enable others to actEnable others to act

5.5.Encourage the heartEncourage the heart

1. Model the way1. Model the wayModeling means going first, Modeling means going first,

living the behaviors you want living the behaviors you want others to adopt. People will others to adopt. People will believe not what they hear believe not what they hear leaders say but what they see leaders say but what they see leaders do.leaders do.

Let’s Play a quick game of Let’s Play a quick game of follower the leader…follower the leader…

Let’s Play a quick game of Let’s Play a quick game of follower the leader…follower the leader…

How about find the leader…

2. Inspire a shared 2. Inspire a shared visionvision

People are motivated most not by People are motivated most not by fear or reward, but by ideas that fear or reward, but by ideas that capture their imagination. This is capture their imagination. This is not about having a vision, but not about having a vision, but communicating it so effectively communicating it so effectively that others take it as their own that others take it as their own and are willing to go further than and are willing to go further than they have ever gone before.they have ever gone before.

3. Challenge the process3. Challenge the process

Leaders thrive on and learn Leaders thrive on and learn from adversity and difficult from adversity and difficult situations. They are early situations. They are early adopters of innovation.adopters of innovation.

Designers may solve Designers may solve problems, but there has problems, but there has

never been a big never been a big challenge or idea that challenge or idea that has not been nurtured, has not been nurtured,

explored, analyzed, explored, analyzed, experienced, experienced,

implemented and implemented and brought to life by a brought to life by a

Leader.Leader.

Connect the dots using the Connect the dots using the fewest possible straight lines.fewest possible straight lines.

Connect the dots using the Connect the dots using the fewest possible straight fewest possible straight

lines.lines.Could you do it in 4 lines?Could you do it in 4 lines?

Connect the dots using the Connect the dots using the fewest possible straight linesfewest possible straight lines


lines.lines.Could you do it in 3 lines?Could you do it in 3 lines?



lines.lines.Could you do it with 1 line?Could you do it with 1 line?


How many ways can you How many ways can you divide this square into 4 divide this square into 4

equal shapes?equal shapes?


equal shapes? Like this for equal shapes? Like this for instance.instance.

Here is another way. Can you Here is another way. Can you think of others?think of others?

Did you consider this one?Did you consider this one?


equal shapes?equal shapes?An infinite number of ways?An infinite number of ways?

4. Enable others to act4. Enable others to act

Encouragement and Encouragement and exhortation is not enough. exhortation is not enough. People must feel able to act People must feel able to act and then must have the ability and then must have the ability to put their ideas into action. to put their ideas into action. As leaders we must empower As leaders we must empower others with our vision and our others with our vision and our ideas. ideas.

An Excellent Creative Problem Solver

Balian of Ibelin from Kingdom of Heaven

Does making a person a Does making a person a knight make him or her a knight make him or her a

better fighter?better fighter?Yes!Yes!

Does empowering a person Does empowering a person make him or her a better make him or her a better

more successful, productive more successful, productive and happier person?and happier person?

YES!YES!





YES!YES!





YES!YES!





YES!YES!

So let us try an So let us try an experiment…experiment…

With shared empowerment!With shared empowerment!

5. Encourage the heart5. Encourage the heart

People act best of all when People act best of all when they are passionate about they are passionate about what they are doing. Leaders what they are doing. Leaders unleash the enthusiasm of unleash the enthusiasm of their followers by their own their followers by their own behaviors and showing their behaviors and showing their own passion.own passion.

Can Can DoDo

EnjoyEnjoy EngagEngagee

EnergEnergyy

Wide Wide

WorldWorld

WeiWei 5353 3434 4545 4747 49 - 22849 - 228

KeatingKeating 5858 6868 6161 6767 49 - 30349 - 303

ClarkClark

HunderHundertt

5959 6565 5858 5151 45 - 28045 - 280

HollandHolland

Nikumbh Sir

6868 6767 7070 6969 64 - 33864 - 338

Overall Overall AveragAveragee

So now,So now,What will you legacy be.What will you legacy be.How about write a letter to a teacher How about write a letter to a teacher

in your life (not Hank). Tell that in your life (not Hank). Tell that person what you learned from them person what you learned from them and how you stood on the shoulders and how you stood on the shoulders of a giant. That you are now of a giant. That you are now teaching and have learned and teaching and have learned and continue to learn about teaching and continue to learn about teaching and have even begun to think of your have even begun to think of your legacy. Which will be……legacy. Which will be……

B = letter.B = letter.

A A mention at least 3 lessons from the mention at least 3 lessons from the

movies we watched.movies we watched.Comment on one readingComment on one readingComment on two classroom discussionsComment on two classroom discussions