Food (Bread) for Thought

I had a great time at Panera Bread in West Covina last night chatting with Mr. Seliskar - a gentleman and a scholar. What a pleasure it is to exchange ideas, share tips and discover new ways of meeting the needs of students. The collaborative spirit is alive and well in Covina Valley.

Jason shared some ideas for improving math and using technology. I especially enjoyed his explanation of why reading answers to homework is more effective than having them refer to an overhead. I plan on using that technique in my class. In addition, he reminded me about Nancy Boyles. Yes, I have her book but have not implemented her strategies in my class. It's time to get that done.

The wonderful part of teaching is figuring out how to help students. The most difficult part of teaching is figuring out how to help students.

We both agreed that the battle for student proficiency is often won or lost in the mind of the teacher. If I give my students a chance, they might learn. If I don't give them a chance, they never will.

Looking forward to doing whatever it takes.