This blog will follow a school wide book study of the book "Do You Know Enough About Me to Teach Me?" by Stephen Peters. The faculty and staff of McDonnell Elementary will use this book to validate strategies and approaches in accepting the reality that today's students need more.
Summary Vanessa is the “Little Miss Social Butterfly” flittering here and there with many friends. It seems Vanessa enjoys the persona she has developed for herself throughout her school years; a persona of “beauty with little need for brains.” Now, as she approaches the end of her ‘rein’ she is facing the harsh reality that her kingdom is dissolving and she is not prepared to step out into the new world.
*Note: I wonder why the author spent such little time with Vanessa as compared to amount of time he spent with Tyrone.
Issues:
Vanessa is the oldest of a large family. She has placed popularity above academics. Vanessa may not have enough credits to graduate highschool.
Perspectives:
Vanessa faces the reality she may not graduate as she “sits quietly in her senior guidance counselor’s office waitng…” She considers herself ‘above’ her fellow friends and peers since she has maintained her social status without getting pregnant. She seems to feel the fact that she is popular and not pregnant should be enough to allow her to graduate. (this has served her well in the past)
Consequences:
If Vanessa is not able to charm her guidance counselor, she will not graduate. Vanessa may need to repeat a portion or all of her senior year.
Knowledge: (Applied to myself to help student)
Statistics show that students who are retained have a 50% higher chance of not graduating. Can I find a way to enable her to graduate, while still fulfilling her credit requirements? Can I draw on her personality traits and redirect them? Can I learn from what Mrs. Livingston did to access and take advantage of her natural curiosity?
Actions:
Determine exactly where she is and what is needed for graduation. Look for alternatives to retaining her, perhaps dual enrollment. Build on her dreams and guide her in her route to reach her goals. Involve her family in her dreams.
Tyrone
Summary Tyrone has a lot in common with Vanessa. He too, has relied heavily on his social status and athletic abilities to pass school. He also finds himself at a crossroads, but has not come to the same serious realizations that Vanessa has. Tyrone is still in denial that hard work applies not only to sports, but also to academics. Apparently his coach, or someone else, has identified this fault and tried to make him realize that he needs to succeed on and off the playing court. Tyrone has the ability, yet he lacks the initiative.
Issues:
Tyrone is poor and lives in the ‘hood.’ He has not been selected by a college scout and only has 1 year of eligibility left. His low academics are holding him back from college acceptance. Tyrone is not willing to work for his dreams if that work requires self sacrifice.
Perspectives:
Tyrone feels he can be a pro without the work. Tyrone does not realize that pros are pulled from college teams and he is not college material.
Consequences:
Tyrone may not be drafted by a college.. Tyrone’s grades are adequate for graduation, which will end his eligibility. Tyrone may spend his life in the ‘hood’ with his family.
Knowledge: (Applied to myself to help student)
Most colleges have admission requirements that Tyrone may not have. Can I find a junior college Tyrone can attend and play on the team to extend his eligibility? Can I get Tyrone to apply himself using a reward other than ball season? I need to redirect Tyrone’s self assurance from sports into other aspects of his abilities he can take pride in.
Actions:
Determine exactly where she is and what is needed for graduation. Look into getting a mentor from a local semipro athlete. Talk to coaches from local junior colleges about Tyrone and find some common bonds. Look for alternatives to retaining him, perhaps dual enrollment.
Chapter 3 Summary Vanessa came to school for social purposes. The teachers she liked respected the students and were well prepared with high expectations. The teacher she liked the most taught her that if she had an interest that paral1eled her life, learning would be interesting. She seemed to have missed the fact that she would have to apply herself to be sucessful. Chapter 4 Summary Tyrone liked school most of the time especially during basketball season. He wanted a safe environment for school and he wanted teachers to let the students 'chill' a while in the classes. He also liked the teachers that showed an interest in him as a person. Common thread in all 4 students... 1. teachers cared about each student 2. teachers demanded respect and high achievement 3. disturbed about safety at school
Kathy, It seems that having only a few teachers caring about a student is not enough for the student to succeed. In elementary school, students are part of a "family", but in Middle and High School, they are just another student in most cases.
Vanessa was the oldest of eight children. Vanessa was a student who always liked school. She really didn't like for education. She saw school as a social event. As a senior in high school Vanessa wasn't sure if she would graduate or not. She finally realized that she had wasted a lot of time. Vanessa felt that most of her teacher were pretty cool. She felt that the teacher had a lot to deal with from the students. Tyrone enjoying coming to school because of the social enviroment. Tyrone was a star athlete. Most had an 6 addition siblings. Tyrone liked school. He was some what concerned for his safety. The school gave him lots of support. Tyrone had plans to help get his family out of the hood. He had plans of become a professional athlete. If this dream didn't come sure he was going to be sure to get a degree in order to be able to do something else. Tyrone and Vanessa were both students who enjoyed the social events at school. Both students were liked by their teachers. They were both popular. I feel that both of these students will make it despite their environment.
Vanessa comes from a large family.She is extremely social;in school, the work sometimes got in the way of her social life. She was finally realizing that she needed to start focusing on school before she graduated. She might not graduate on time with her class. Vanessa understands the importance of school, but she had never really thought how it could fit into her life until it was almost too late.She is starting to narrow the field of career choices down. She is already meeting with the school counselor, and she is getting some help with locating colleges that cater to her interest in hotel management. Vanessa should visit some job fairs to see what is available. Being mentored (or participating in some sort of work apprenticeship) could help her focus more clearly on a specific trade. Now that she is starting to feel the pressure of doing well in school,Vanessa needs guidance on her career choices.Her counselor needs to prepare her for the possibility that she might not have enough credits.Going to job fairs to talk to people in her desired field would be good. She might also need some short term tutoring if her grades have fallen.She seems to have a positive attitude, so her dreams for her life should be encouraged.
Tyrone is an athlete, very personable, but inconsistent about his grades. He also comes from a large family and wants to have a better life for himself and his family. He feels "school is cool most of the time" but feels pressure to help his family out. He is so sure of himself that it does seem like he is expecting a college to just sweep him up on their team.He also would rather not put up too much effort to get the grades he needs. Tyrone should visit some college campuses and talk to players like himself to see what it is like on campus. He also is in need of mentoring. Maybe this mentor could meet with him weekly to help him stay focused during the off season so that he can make it through the entire year.
I did notice that Vanessa's and Tyrone's stories are different than Keisha's and Marvin's in the way they felt about school in general. Vanessa and Tyrone seem to have a more positive outlook on the school atmosphere than Marvin and Keisha. Encouragement does go a long way towards helping a student feel wanted in a classroom.
Vanessa is from a family of eight, she is a very social person. In school she liked being there but hated to do the work. So, Vanessa feels like she missed out on some opportunities and now realizes that she will have to put in a lot of work to pass her classes.
Tyrone is the good looking jock who only came to school to socialize and play sports. He wanted to become a professional basketball player to help his family with there hard times. Tyrone was was worried about things he could not control at the time, when he should have been focused on his grades.With the help of Coach Tally and Tyrone setting academic and athletic goals he could become a PROFESSIONAL.
Vanessa grew up with 8 siblings in the family. She tended to be very sociable and popular. When her senior year came, she was unsure if she would be able to participate in graduation and pass. She realized the help that was given to her as she passed through the years at school. However, she didn't always listen.
Vanessa really wasn't interested in studying. She went to school for the social aspect but as she reflected on her life, she realized that her time in high school was almost gone.
In order for Vanessa to find a re-newed interest in school, she could discover what her interests truly are. (Ex: customer service, hotel management, etc.)This can help her prepare for the future. She could also benefit from hands-on activities, peer mentoring, and havnig a clear set of expectations she could work towards while she is still in school.
Some of the possible consequences she will face may keep her from graduating and she would have to repeat her senior year. She may loose all motivation or change interests. There would be a strong possibility that she could change her ways too and become serious with her studies.
For the past 16 years, Tyrone has been sharing a two bedroom apartment with his 5 brothers and sisters along with his mother. He carried a strong burden that involved taking care of his family. At school, he worried about watching his back and not stepping on someone's shoes. After his basketball season ended, his GPA dropped significantly.
Tyrone wanted to get out of his home environment by making it to the pros. If that plan fell through, he wanted to find a good job and take care of his family. He seemed to like the social aspect of school but not actually doing the school work.
He needs assistance on learning how to bring his dreams to a reality by using other avenues. Utilizing his home and school support would be an additional help. Some actions for Tyrone could include becoming a coach for little league, mentoring, shadowing a teacher for a day, and giving him other incentives to keep his grades up.
Some possible consequences he might face include him not making it into the pros. This will ultimately make it even harder for him to make it out of the 'hood'. He could end up finding a new interest outside of sports. He may even loose his scholarship and have to play with out school funding.
Vanessa: Vanessa loved school for all the non-important reasons I'd say. She spent so much socializing and being in the "in crowd" that she almost didn't graduate. She had realized that she had wasted a lot of her timeand oportunities. She had teachers that really tried to get her on the right path, but she had not realized that it was important for her to focus on school. Mrs. Livingston was actually able to help Vanessa develop her interest to a full capacity, by not only exposing her to the reality of what she was teaching, but by also teaching in a creative way. Vanessa passed that class with an A, which proves her capability to do good in school. So the question really was is she ready to put her social life in second or third place in her life. In her case, she had realized that she had wasted her time, so that is the first step into getting up to date. Now she just needed to come up with a plan, create some short and long term goals with the help of her teachers. The fact that she liked most of her teachers and that she actually noticed that some of them truely cared could help her turn into the student that she could be.
Tyrone: Tyrone knew that he had a lot going for him, but academically, not so much. To a degree that really didn't matter to him. He only did what he had to do in order to stay on the team. Tyrone already had the help of the teachers, they did everything they could to make sure he did what he needed to do. He just needed some self motivation. Tyrone had a lot of pressure on him. He wanted to help his family, actually take care of his family. He wanted to put them in a better environment. So for him not going pro wasn't an option. That is why he put so much effort in it. To a degree he really wasn't being realistic, because a very small percentage of everyone who wants to go pro actually makes it. He was aware that many people that try to go pro really do not maake it, so he wanted to do well enough so he can atleast get a degree. So hopefully with that in mind he will get his act together (academically speaking) In order for him to do that he needs to put school as a priority.
Chapter 3 Vanessa Vanessa was the girl that everyone wanted to be in school popular. She was pretty and got along with everyone she knew. Vanessa was from a large family, so I can understand her need to be popular at school. She was the oldest of eight children, school might have been the only place she got the attention she need. I do like that fact that Vanessa did understand that she wasted a lot of time in school and was welling to try and fix the problem. However, she waited until her senior year of high school to get that understanding. To correct 11 years of bad habits, are close to impossible to correct in a years time. Which means doing another year of school. There are so many girls today facing the same problems Vanessa had. It is getting harder and harder in schools for students to go back and correct the mistakes they have made, so they give up. Its important as a teacher to try and help our students see those mistakes earlier and work towards correcting them before even entering into high schoool.
CHapter 4 Tyrone Tyrone was the star atlhlete of his school. He had a great chance of making it pro, however he had little education to fall back on. Tyrone had a lot of stress on his shoulders,he wanted to get his family out of the ghetto. I know that Tyrone could have done more with his education, because during the basketball season his good was above average. So, to me it was more of a matter of getting him to understand that his education was just as important, as his basketball dreams. I think that if his teachers give him a reason to pass his classes in the off season, his grades would not have drop when he was not playing.
Chapter 3 Vanessa Vanessa is the girl in school that can tell you when the next hot party is going to be or where is the new spot to hang out. She is the popular girl who knows everyone and everyone knows her. But when it comes to her grades and school, Vanessa did not put that as her first priority, being popular was instead. The end of her senior year was approaching and she started realizing that she might not be able to graduate like she hoped to. Popularity and looks does not count as credits to graduate and she was starting to come to that conclusion while waiting for her guidance counselor to let her know if she will be able to graduate. Vanessa not graduating will effect her self -confidence and she might not ever graduate because there would be a new crowd she will have to try and fit in. In a way, it is embarrassing for Vanessa not to graduate and I think she will feel humiliated. Vanessa needs to put her social skills to work before she looses that confidence because if she does, what else she would fall back on. Looks can only get you so far. Who knows she might end up on the poles working late nights for only singles.
Chapter 4 Tyrone had the image of being the star athlete, good looking and charming. The girls felt for him all the time. Just like Vanessa he enjoyed being in the social environment at school. School was also a place for Tyrone because he always found security, commitment, and love. Living with five other siblings in a two bedroom apartment is not easy. He had always dreamed about finishing high school, accepted a scholarship to play college basketball, get drafted into the NBA, then help his family move out the hood. But Tyrone has trouble balancing sports and his academics. How will he succeed in college, when in high school his grades were not as consistent? His grade was just enough to play basketball and then they would drop when the season is over. Tyrone needs a coach to guide him in the right direction so if professional basketball fails, he will have a back up plan to be a coach at a school someday. Tyrone can also volunteer at a Boys & Girls Club to help other kids and talk to them about basketball.
Vanessa comes from a big family. She has a lot of potential to excel in school, but she loves to socialize instead of studying. She could use a positive role model who would be consistent with her. She could also mentor and/or join the student government at her school. This would be good for Vanessa because she is a people person, and she likes school. Setting and meeting certain goals will enable her to be successful in high school and beyond. Tyrone seemed to be under a lot of pressure. His GPA was inconsistent, he comes from a small home environment, a single mother and a lot of siblings. Tyrone needs a mentor as well. Someone who can assist him to maintain good grades, and apply for scholarships. He likes school and it would be better if he can find another outlet. Maybe visit some local colleges, job shadow, and meet professional athletes. Vanessa and Tyrone had favorite teachers, and liked most of their teachers at school. That shows that teachers can be a positive role model. Students can tell whether teachers like their jobs as well as the students. I hope Vanessa and Tyrone graduated and are doing well. D.Carroll
ISSUES *large family *extrovert *possible retention
PERSPECTIVES *Popularity has caused her problems with school, but has also helped her decide on a career direction after graduation. *As long as a subject was interesting to her, she applied herself
KNOWLEDGE *Having all the fun times might have put her at risk of not graduating.
ACTIONS *First and foremost, find out status of graduation. IF she is going to graduate have counselor help her choose a college for hotel management; If she is not going to graduate, direct her to courses or perhaps tech school to fulfill her career choice.
CONSEQUENCES *Graduation status is her biggest issue *Once her credits are analyzed her future course can be plotted.
Tyrone
ISSUES *Inconsistent grades *Burden of being "man of the house" *Family's low socio-economic status *How to discipline himself to succeed
PERSPECTIVE *Tyrone does consider the need to graduate and get a degree. This would enable him to help his family out of the projects and give himself something to fall back on if sports career eludes him. *He sees himself graduating, going to college on a scholarship, graduateing and getting drafted into the MBA. This will help him help his family and fulfill his dream. *He realizes he has to discipline himself at academics to attain these goals.
KNOWLEDGE *Colleges have admission requirements that candidates have to fulfill in order to play sports. So keeping grades up consistently is a must. *Tyrone has dream to help his family out of poverty.
ACTIONS *Redirect Tyrone's energy back to school by using a mentor: such as a former athlete or coach. *A tutor/peer helper throughout the school year to keep grades up. *Connect the family to outside resources to help their financial needs.
Vannesa grew up being popular. School was a place to socialize and hang out with the "in crowd". She never placed importance on academics. She did have a teacher, Mrs. Livingston, in middle school who was able to catch her interest in the civil rights movement. She was able to bring out Vanessa's academic potential and interest. Vanessa worked hard for a teacher who showed interest in her and what was important to her. In high school, all that changed and she went back to being a social butterfly and lost interest in academics. She had wonderful potential but her priorities were not in the proper order. When she entered her senior year not sure she could graduate, she began to re-evaluate her situation and began to see the importance of an education. She seems willing to work with her guidance counselor and teachers to make it possible to graduate and go to college to get into hotel management and event planning. She is more positive in her attitude towards teachers than Keisha was. She sees that a lot of the teachers do care. She also sees student disrespect as a big problem in school.
Tyrone is also popular and athletic. His priority is to play college basketball then go pro. But his grades are not consistant and that will be a problem getting into college. He keeps his grade up during basketball season but lets them drop the rest of the time. Like Vanessa, he is beginning to see the importance of education and must decide to commit himself not only to the game but to his studies as well. He feels the pressure to succeed to help his family have a better life. He even lies in bed and dreams of a better situation for his mom and five brothers and sisters. He sees that there are teachers that don't care but he also sees there are a lot that do. He even feels sorry for what teachers have to put up with and how much they are paid for the work. All the students discussed in this book have great potential and need caring teachers willing to get involved in their lives and find new strategies to reach them.
Vanessa the socialite has several issues. She is the oldest at eight, she is concerned about being popular. She is aware of the possibility of not graduating and she is aware of missed opportunities during her high school years. Vanessa’s perspective is that she likes school for the social aspect but dislikes doing the work. She likes to socialize and she believes that some teachers just don’t care. Vanessa’s Knowledge is that she has interest in future with hotel management and to accomplish this goal she must engage herself in more activities and possible peer monitoring, or some type of internship in which case she can gain some experience in her perspective field. If Vanessa doesn’t change she could encounter some consequences such as repeating her current grade, loose motivation to achieve, or drop out of school altogether. Her actions will determine the direction in which her future will take. Tyrone (The Sport Star) lives in a 2 bedroom Apt. with 5 brothers and sister. He is in a poverty stricken situation in which case is concerned about his safety. His grades in school is not consistent because when it time to play the sport he can perform well in class and on coursework. His goal is to professional and be the first person in his family to go to college. He feels it is his responsibility to “support” his family financially and that in itself is a lot for a child to carry as a burden. Tyrone could become a stronger student if he would apply himself regardless of the season, and if he would accept additional tutoring. He needs to allow himself to seek other alternatives for making a living instead of focusing on becoming a professional athlete. He seems to have a overall good attitude and if he could accept more responsibilities for school work and other activities he may discover other avenues to help him achieve his ultimate goal.
Issues Vanessa is the oldest of eight children. She enjoyed going to the school building to socialize with her friends and didn’t maximize her educational potential. It was during her senior year of high school that she worried about not graduating, because of her devotion to hanging out and lack of studying. Perspectives She had always been popular and enjoyed going to school to be with her friends. Studying was not on her list to do. She also liked a middle school teacher who exposed her to real life events that stimulated her interests. Knowledge I would like to find out her interests and involve her with hands-on activities in this area. She mentioned becoming a hotel owner. I would suggest to her to get a part-time job in a hotel to see if she would like to make this a career choice. Actions Vanessa could get involved in the SGA and Jr. Achievement organization if it were available at her school to get real world exposure particularly in hotel management. Consequences Due to her lack of concern for her classes, she may not graduate on time and or be required to attend summer school. This major wake up call could cause her motivation to decrease and ultimately drop out of high school. On the other hand, she may begin to see her life and education as important factors for success. This new out look on life could cause her to change her ways and make better choices to hang around positive successful people.
Tyrone Issues He faced poverty, had to be the man of the house, pressure to make it professionally in basketball so he could moved his family out of the neighborhood, and he lived in a crowded home. He was concerned about his safety at school. Perspectives Tyrone enjoyed school and was family oriented. He obviously wanted to make his family’s life better. He wanted to move his family to better and safer living conditions. Knowledge He was aware of his environment and knew the importance of education. He knew he needed to get a good education to help him be successful. Actions Although he knew education was important, he only worked hard to keep descent grades during the basketball season. During the off-season, he wouldn’t be as motivated to do his good work. I would suggest that he participate in a tutoring program to keep his academics in good standing, join a community basketball team to get extra practice and help him stay motivated and in shape. These suggestions would keep him focused on reaching his dream. Consequences Tyrone could face less or no playing time if his grades dropped to an unsatisfactory level. He might not make it to the professional league. Without an education, he might not get a job that would make it possible for him to move his family out of that area. On the other hand, with hard work and determination, he could earn a basketball scholarship at a top-ten school, eventually make it to the pros and fulfill his dream.
Vanessa is a social butterfly,and not really interested in school. She is in danger if not graduating, and needs intervention to get her back on the right track. Someone needs to help her find her interests and set expectations for her. Volunteering as an intern might be helpful to her.
Tyrone is motivated by basketball. However, he only does well enough in school to play. He isn't concerned at all with his grades in off season. He also feels responsible for his family. He thinks that the only way to help them is to play professional sports. He is sure that he will go to college on a scholarship, and then be drafted onto a pro basketball team. He needs to receive good grades all year long to go to college, but he hasn't thought of that yet. Someone needs to give hima reality check. He would also benefit from a mentor.
Reply to Kathy I agree with you. All four students' experiences showed that teachers need to show they care about their students and their achievements in school. Teachers have to be creative to reach some of today's students. But mostly they have to love helping the children they teach.
Vanessa was a completely involved with the social aspect of school. She loved being there for the wrong reasons. She begin to see insight at the end knowing that all of her social skills had gotten her behind in school. She needs to use her social skills to find her interest and maybe a counselor could direct her in a path where she could love and enjoy what she does. This could be used to his advantage but indeed was hurting him. He was doing enough just to get by. He should talk to some athletes who made and some who had to take alternate routes so that he has other choices and how important his grades need to be.
Tyrone was the athlete his life revolved around basketball. Eat, slept, and drank ball.
I completely agree. They all are pretty much yearning for the same things. They want teachers who care, respect, and safety but who doesn't. They were asking for things they are suppose to recieve anyway.
Vanessa was very outgoing in school by being popular, cute, and being with the "in-crowd". She liked school, but not for the work. Vanessa did realize that when she became a senior in high school how the time had gone by. She realized she was really getting ready to graduate from high school and enter a world that held no promises and gave you nothing.
Even though Vanessa attended school for only socializing, there were two teachers who inspired her. Mrs. Livingston gained respect from Vanessa as well as gave Vanessa respect in the same manner. Vanessa knew that Mrs. Livingston cared and she treated the students as if they were her own children.
Vanessa also admired Mr. Malloy. He basically taught the children and made them feel as though they could do the work no matter how many problems were faced with learning the skill. He also showed them he cared by getting their parents involved and gave the students praise by letting the parents know about the students' academics.
There was a very valuable answer Vanessa gave when asked what teachers should know. One of those answers was "be well prepared." Students know when a teacher is not prepared and they feed off the confusion just as they feed off any thing negative, they can feed off anything positive.
Tyrone
Tyrone was a star athlete, good looking, and charming. With all this in consideration, school had been the place where Tyrone had always found security, commitment,and love.
At night when Tyrone laid down to go to sleep, he was consumed with the pressure he felt to get his family out of its present socioeconomic condition. He had dreams of being a NBA Basketball player, but he needed to maintain his grades so he could go to college to get his feet in the door. He believed and was determined that he was going to play pro-basketball. He did like the idea of maybe owning hiw own company if he did not make it in the NBA because he had a bigger weight on his shoulders than just school, and that was taking care of his family.
Tyrone liked Coach Tally because he was always prepared for school and he treated the students special. It meant the most to Tyrone when Ms. Burke and Mr. Wiggins would come to his games. It showed him they really cared after they had been with the students all day and then attended a game in the evening.
Mrs. Brown was Tyrone's favorite teacher. It seemed as though Tyrone could depend on Mrs. Brown to be at school and that was someone's face he knew he would see everyday. That gave him stability. She made him feel like he could learn anything.
Vanessa - Vanessa's main reason for attending school was to socialize. She realizes, too late, that if she wants to graduate on time she needs to get serious about her work. The good news about Vanessa is that she has not gotten into trouble, and she is finally realizing that to fulfill her dreams she must get busy. Tyrone - Tyrone, like Vanessa, was in school for social rather than academic reasons. Also, as a good athlete, he has the pressure of getting a college scholarship as a means to helping out his family. Tyrone has the ability to succeed, if he is motivated. That is why he is able to keep his grades up during the sport season. Both Vanessa and Tyrone have a lot going for them and I feel very hopeful that they will make it.
Vanessa Vanessa was a socialite much like Keisha. School was a playground for her. She was in a family with eight children, so this leads me to believe that she had a lot of responsibility at home and school was an escape for her. Many teachers had tried to help Vanessa, but only one teacher got through to her. That was Mrs. Livingston in middle school. Mrs. Livingston found something that Vanessa was interested in-the Civil Rights Movement. She ended up with an A in the class, but Vanessa went back to her old ways in high school. Her guidance counselor met with her to determine her graduation status. Had Vanessa ruined her future? Vanessa wanted to go into hotel management. The counselor helped Vanessa locate schools that had good programs in this area. Vanessa would now just have to work really hard to succeed in her chosen profession. She would now have to care about school. Vanessa has some wonderful advice for teachers. The three most important things all teachers should know are, "to respect their students, be well prepared, and have high expectations of their students."
Tyrone Tyrone was a star athlete at his school. He wanted to make it big in the pros. Some of Tyrone's teachers spent extra time with him to make sure that he did his part to succeed in school. Like Vanessa, Tyrone also felt a responsibility to his family. He wanted to provide a better life for them. Tyrone needed to realize that not all good athletes grow up to play professional ball. He would need something to fall back on. Even if he played pro ball, he would need the education to provide for his family after that was over. Tyrone also offered really good advice to teachers: "...students are looking for a connection of what the teacher is trying to teach to why do I need to know this."
I agree with Kathy. There is a common thread with all of these students. They need respect, they need their energy redirected to learning, and they all need to feel safe at school. If you do not feel safe at your school, then it is almost impossible to learn.
Vanessa and Tyrone have a lot of things in common. Both of these individuals are nice looking, come from low income families, hoping to make a better life for themselves, and both received motivation from a teacher to believe in there ability and strive to better their personal quality of existence.
Vanessa’s wild and popular life turned in a different direction when her social studies teacher saw that she could reach her with real life teaching strategies. This was a major stepping stone in Vanessa’s academic progress until she reached high school and slipped back into some of her old unproductive habits. As unfortunate as this was, she learned a lot from her experiences and her sound grasp of understanding about life is exposed in her interview with the principal.
Tyrone was a person that wanted better things in life not only for himself but his family. He viewed himself as a type of savior that would bring his family into a more fulfilling existence if he could just reach his dream as a professional athlete. His dedication was admirable, but like Vanessa he had his set-backs. When basketball season was over, his academic progress suffered. Also like Vanessa he had an understanding of how the world operates and respected his coach’s interest in him.
One important lesson gleaned from both of these situations is people are more receptive and willing to exert more personal effort when they feel genuinely appreciated. Also, we as people should never underestimate the power of personal influence.
Vanessa liked school, but not for the education she was receiving. Vanessa was more interested in her social life among her peers. Just like so many of today’s high school students find themselves, Vanessa found herself not prepared for the next level of higher education. Vanessa encountered teachers who really took an interest in her, but she refused to listen.
Chapter 4 Tyrone
Tyrone was a star athlete among his classmates who enjoyed attending school solely for the praises he received from his peers. Tyrone had dreams of playing college basketball as well as in the NBA, but at times his grades would suffer. Tyrone only did enough to keep his eligibility during basketball season. Tyrone was pressured by his family’s socioeconomic conditions and felt a need to be the bread winner for his family. Tyrone liked teachers that showed interest in him.
I love the teamwork of the faculty and staff during this session!
ReplyDeleteWell first....I got my picture uploaded! Yay me!
ReplyDeleteVanessa
Summary
Vanessa is the “Little Miss Social Butterfly” flittering here and there with many friends. It seems Vanessa enjoys the persona she has developed for herself throughout her school years; a persona of “beauty with little need for brains.” Now, as she approaches the end of her ‘rein’ she is facing the harsh reality that her kingdom is dissolving and she is not prepared to step out into the new world.
*Note: I wonder why the author spent such little time with Vanessa as compared to amount of time he spent with Tyrone.
Issues:
Vanessa is the oldest of a large family.
She has placed popularity above academics.
Vanessa may not have enough credits to graduate highschool.
Perspectives:
Vanessa faces the reality she may not graduate as she “sits quietly in her senior guidance counselor’s office waitng…”
She considers herself ‘above’ her fellow friends and peers since she has maintained her social status without getting pregnant.
She seems to feel the fact that she is popular and not pregnant should be enough to allow her to graduate. (this has served her well in the past)
Consequences:
If Vanessa is not able to charm her guidance counselor, she will not graduate.
Vanessa may need to repeat a portion or all of her senior year.
Knowledge: (Applied to myself to help student)
Statistics show that students who are retained have a 50% higher chance of not graduating.
Can I find a way to enable her to graduate, while still fulfilling her credit requirements?
Can I draw on her personality traits and redirect them?
Can I learn from what Mrs. Livingston did to access and take advantage of her natural curiosity?
Actions:
Determine exactly where she is and what is needed for graduation.
Look for alternatives to retaining her, perhaps dual enrollment.
Build on her dreams and guide her in her route to reach her goals.
Involve her family in her dreams.
Tyrone
Summary
Tyrone has a lot in common with Vanessa. He too, has relied heavily on his social status and athletic abilities to pass school. He also finds himself at a crossroads, but has not come to the same serious realizations that Vanessa has. Tyrone is still in denial that hard work applies not only to sports, but also to academics. Apparently his coach, or someone else, has identified this fault and tried to make him realize that he needs to succeed on and off the playing court. Tyrone has the ability, yet he lacks the initiative.
Issues:
Tyrone is poor and lives in the ‘hood.’
He has not been selected by a college scout and only has 1 year of eligibility left.
His low academics are holding him back from college acceptance.
Tyrone is not willing to work for his dreams if that work requires self sacrifice.
Perspectives:
Tyrone feels he can be a pro without the work.
Tyrone does not realize that pros are pulled from college teams and he is not college material.
Consequences:
Tyrone may not be drafted by a college..
Tyrone’s grades are adequate for graduation, which will end his eligibility.
Tyrone may spend his life in the ‘hood’ with his family.
Knowledge: (Applied to myself to help student)
Most colleges have admission requirements that Tyrone may not have.
Can I find a junior college Tyrone can attend and play on the team to extend his eligibility?
Can I get Tyrone to apply himself using a reward other than ball season?
I need to redirect Tyrone’s self assurance from sports into other aspects of his abilities he can take pride in.
Actions:
Determine exactly where she is and what is needed for graduation.
Look into getting a mentor from a local semipro athlete.
Talk to coaches from local junior colleges about Tyrone and find some common bonds.
Look for alternatives to retaining him, perhaps dual enrollment.
Awesome post mjmonty!
ReplyDeleteChapter 3 Summary
ReplyDeleteVanessa came to school for social purposes. The teachers she liked respected the students and were well prepared with high expectations. The teacher she liked the most taught her that if she had an interest that paral1eled her life, learning would be interesting. She seemed to have missed the fact that she would have to apply herself to be sucessful.
Chapter 4 Summary
Tyrone liked school most of the time especially during basketball season. He wanted a safe environment for school and he wanted teachers to let the students 'chill' a while in the classes. He also liked the teachers that showed an interest in him as a person.
Common thread in all 4 students...
1. teachers cared about each student
2. teachers demanded respect and high achievement
3. disturbed about safety at school
Kathy,
ReplyDeleteIt seems that having only a few teachers caring about a student is not enough for the student to succeed. In elementary school, students are part of a "family", but in Middle and High School, they are just another student in most cases.
Vanessa was the oldest of eight children. Vanessa was a student who always liked school. She really didn't like for education. She saw school as a social event. As a senior in high school Vanessa wasn't sure if she would graduate or not. She finally realized that she had wasted a lot of time. Vanessa felt that most of her teacher were pretty cool. She felt that the teacher had a lot to deal with from the students.
ReplyDeleteTyrone enjoying coming to school because of the social enviroment. Tyrone was a star athlete. Most had an 6 addition siblings. Tyrone liked school. He was some what concerned for his safety. The school gave him lots of support. Tyrone had plans to help get his family out of the hood. He had plans of become a professional athlete. If this dream didn't come sure he was going to be sure to get a degree in order to be able to do something else.
Tyrone and Vanessa were both students who enjoyed the social events at school. Both students were liked by their teachers. They were both popular. I feel that both of these
students will make it despite their environment.
Vanessa comes from a large family.She is extremely social;in school, the work sometimes got in the way of her social life. She was finally realizing that she needed to start focusing on school before she graduated. She might not graduate on time with her class.
ReplyDeleteVanessa understands the importance of school, but she had never really thought how it could fit into her life until it was almost too late.She is starting to narrow the field of career choices down.
She is already meeting with the school counselor, and she is getting some help with locating colleges that cater to her interest in hotel management.
Vanessa should visit some job fairs to see what is available. Being mentored (or participating in some sort of work apprenticeship) could help her focus more clearly on a specific trade.
Now that she is starting to feel the pressure of doing well in school,Vanessa needs guidance on her career choices.Her counselor needs to prepare her for the possibility that she might not have enough credits.Going to job fairs to talk to people in her desired field would be good. She might also need some short term tutoring if her grades have fallen.She seems to have a positive attitude, so her dreams for her life should be encouraged.
Tyrone is an athlete, very personable, but inconsistent about his grades. He also comes from a large family and wants to have a better life for himself and his family.
He feels "school is cool most of the time" but feels pressure to help his family out. He is so sure of himself that it does seem like he is expecting a college to just sweep him up on their team.He also would rather not put up too much effort to get the grades he needs.
Tyrone should visit some college campuses and talk to players like himself to see what it is like on campus. He also is in need of mentoring. Maybe this mentor could meet with him weekly to help him stay focused during the off season so that he can make it through the entire year.
I did notice that Vanessa's and Tyrone's stories are different than Keisha's and Marvin's in the way they felt about school in general. Vanessa and Tyrone seem to have a more positive outlook on the school atmosphere than Marvin and Keisha. Encouragement does go a long way towards helping a student feel wanted in a classroom.
Vanessa is from a family of eight, she is a very social person. In school she liked being there but hated to do the work. So, Vanessa feels like she missed out on some opportunities and now realizes that she will have to put in a lot of work to pass her classes.
ReplyDeleteTyrone is the good looking jock who only came to school to socialize and play sports. He wanted to become a professional basketball player to help his family with there hard times. Tyrone was was worried about things he could not control at the time, when he should have been focused on his grades.With the help of Coach Tally and Tyrone setting academic and athletic goals he could become a PROFESSIONAL.
ReplyDeleteVanessa grew up with 8 siblings in the family. She tended to be very sociable and popular. When her senior year came, she was unsure if she would be able to participate in graduation and pass. She realized the help that was given to her as she passed through the years at school. However, she didn't always listen.
ReplyDeleteVanessa really wasn't interested in studying. She went to school for the social aspect but as she reflected on her life, she realized that her time in high school was almost gone.
In order for Vanessa to find a re-newed interest in school, she could discover what her interests truly are. (Ex: customer service, hotel management, etc.)This can help her prepare for the future. She could also benefit from hands-on activities, peer mentoring, and havnig a clear set of expectations she could work towards while she is still in school.
Some of the possible consequences she will face may keep her from graduating and she would have to repeat her senior year. She may loose all motivation or change interests. There would be a strong possibility that she could change her ways too and become serious with her studies.
For the past 16 years, Tyrone has been sharing a two bedroom apartment with his 5 brothers and sisters along with his mother. He carried a strong burden that involved taking care of his family. At school, he worried about watching his back and not stepping on someone's shoes. After his basketball season ended, his GPA dropped significantly.
Tyrone wanted to get out of his home environment by making it to the pros. If that plan fell through, he wanted to find a good job and take care of his family. He seemed to like the social aspect of school but not actually doing the school work.
He needs assistance on learning how to bring his dreams to a reality by using other avenues. Utilizing his home and school support would be an additional help. Some actions for Tyrone could include becoming a coach for little league, mentoring, shadowing a teacher for a day, and giving him other incentives to keep his grades up.
Some possible consequences he might face include him not making it into the pros. This will ultimately make it even harder for him to make it out of the 'hood'. He could end up finding a new interest outside of sports. He may even loose his scholarship and have to play with out school funding.
Vanessa:
ReplyDeleteVanessa loved school for all the non-important reasons I'd say. She spent so much socializing and being in the "in crowd" that she almost didn't graduate. She had realized that she had wasted a lot of her timeand oportunities. She had teachers that really tried to get her on the right path, but she had not realized that it was important for her to focus on school.
Mrs. Livingston was actually able to help Vanessa develop her interest to a full capacity, by not only exposing her to the reality of what she was teaching, but by also teaching in a creative way. Vanessa passed that class with an A, which proves her capability to do good in school. So the question really was is she ready to put her social life in second or third place in her life.
In her case, she had realized that she had wasted her time, so that is the first step into getting up to date. Now she just needed to come up with a plan, create some short and long term goals with the help of her teachers. The fact that she liked most of her teachers and that she actually noticed that some of them truely cared could help her turn into the student that she could be.
Tyrone:
ReplyDeleteTyrone knew that he had a lot going for him, but academically, not so much. To a degree that really didn't matter to him. He only did what he had to do in order to stay on the team. Tyrone already had the help of the teachers, they did everything they could to make sure he did what he needed to do. He just needed some self motivation.
Tyrone had a lot of pressure on him. He wanted to help his family, actually take care of his family. He wanted to put them in a better environment. So for him not going pro wasn't an option. That is why he put so much effort in it. To a degree he really wasn't being realistic, because a very small percentage of everyone who wants to go pro actually makes it. He was aware that many people that try to go pro really do not maake it, so he wanted to do well enough so he can atleast get a degree. So hopefully with that in mind he will get his act together (academically speaking) In order for him to do that he needs to put school as a priority.
Chapter 3 Vanessa
ReplyDeleteVanessa was the girl that everyone wanted to be in school popular. She was pretty and got along with everyone she knew. Vanessa was from a large family, so I can understand her need to be popular at school. She was the oldest of eight children, school might have been the only place she got the attention she need. I do like that fact that Vanessa did understand that she wasted a lot of time in school and was welling to try and fix the problem. However, she waited until her senior year of high school to get that understanding. To correct 11 years of bad habits, are close to impossible to correct in a years time. Which means doing another year of school.
There are so many girls today facing the same problems Vanessa had. It is getting harder and harder in schools for students to go back and correct the mistakes they have made, so they give up. Its important as a teacher to try and help our students see those mistakes earlier and work towards correcting them before even entering into high schoool.
CHapter 4 Tyrone
ReplyDeleteTyrone was the star atlhlete of his school. He had a great chance of making it pro, however he had little education to fall back on. Tyrone had a lot of stress on his shoulders,he wanted to get his family out of the ghetto. I know that Tyrone could have done more with his education, because during the basketball season his good was above average. So, to me it was more of a matter of getting him to understand that his education was just as important, as his basketball dreams. I think that if his teachers give him a reason to pass his classes in the off season, his grades would not have drop when he was not playing.
Zunilda Rodriguez
ReplyDeleteChapter 3 Vanessa
Vanessa is the girl in school that can tell you when the next hot party is going to be or where is the new spot to hang out. She is the popular girl who knows everyone and everyone knows her. But when it comes to her grades and school, Vanessa did not put that as her first priority, being popular was instead. The end of her senior year was approaching and she started realizing that she might not be able to graduate like she hoped to. Popularity and looks does not count as credits to graduate and she was starting to come to that conclusion while waiting for her guidance counselor to let her know if she will be able to graduate. Vanessa not graduating will effect her self -confidence and she might not ever graduate because there would be a new crowd she will have to try and fit in. In a way, it is embarrassing for Vanessa not to graduate and I think she will feel humiliated. Vanessa needs to put her social skills to work before she looses that confidence because if she does, what else she would fall back on. Looks can only get you so far. Who knows she might end up on the poles working late nights for only singles.
Zunilda Rodriguez
ReplyDeleteChapter 4
Tyrone had the image of being the star athlete, good looking and charming. The girls felt for him all the time. Just like Vanessa he enjoyed being in the social environment at school. School was also a place for Tyrone because he always found security, commitment, and love. Living with five other siblings in a two bedroom apartment is not easy. He had always dreamed about finishing high school, accepted a scholarship to play college basketball, get drafted into the NBA, then help his family move out the hood. But Tyrone has trouble balancing sports and his academics. How will he succeed in college, when in high school his grades were not as consistent? His grade was just enough to play basketball and then they would drop when the season is over. Tyrone needs a coach to guide him in the right direction so if professional basketball fails, he will have a back up plan to be a coach at a school someday. Tyrone can also volunteer at a Boys & Girls Club to help other kids and talk to them about basketball.
Vanessa comes from a big family. She has a lot of potential to excel in school, but she loves to socialize instead of studying. She could use a positive role model who would be consistent with her. She could also mentor and/or join the student government at her school. This would be good for Vanessa because she is a people person, and she likes school. Setting and meeting certain goals will enable her to be successful in high school and beyond.
ReplyDeleteTyrone seemed to be under a lot of pressure. His GPA was inconsistent, he comes from a small home environment, a single mother and a lot of siblings. Tyrone needs a mentor as well. Someone who can assist him to maintain good grades, and apply for scholarships. He likes school and it would be better if he can find another outlet. Maybe visit some local colleges, job shadow, and meet professional athletes.
Vanessa and Tyrone had favorite teachers, and liked most of their teachers at school. That shows that teachers can be a positive role model. Students can tell whether teachers like their jobs as well as the students. I hope Vanessa and Tyrone graduated and are doing well.
D.Carroll
Vanessa
ReplyDeleteISSUES
*large family
*extrovert
*possible retention
PERSPECTIVES
*Popularity has caused her problems with school, but has also helped her decide on a career direction after graduation.
*As long as a subject was interesting to her, she applied herself
KNOWLEDGE
*Having all the fun times might have put her at risk of not graduating.
ACTIONS
*First and foremost, find out status of graduation.
IF she is going to graduate have counselor help her choose a college for hotel management;
If she is not going to graduate, direct her to courses or perhaps tech school to fulfill her career choice.
CONSEQUENCES
*Graduation status is her biggest issue
*Once her credits are analyzed her future course can be plotted.
Tyrone
ISSUES
*Inconsistent grades
*Burden of being "man of the house"
*Family's low socio-economic status
*How to discipline himself to succeed
PERSPECTIVE
*Tyrone does consider the need to graduate and get a degree. This would enable him to help his family out of the projects and give himself something to fall back on if sports career eludes him.
*He sees himself graduating, going to college on a scholarship, graduateing and getting drafted into the MBA. This will help him help his family and fulfill his dream.
*He realizes he has to discipline himself at academics to attain these goals.
KNOWLEDGE
*Colleges have admission requirements that candidates have to fulfill in order to play sports. So keeping grades up consistently is a must.
*Tyrone has dream to help his family out of poverty.
ACTIONS
*Redirect Tyrone's energy back to school by using a mentor: such as a former athlete or coach.
*A tutor/peer helper throughout the school year to keep grades up.
*Connect the family to outside resources to help their financial needs.
Vannesa grew up being popular. School was a place to socialize and hang out with the "in crowd". She never placed importance on academics.
ReplyDeleteShe did have a teacher, Mrs. Livingston, in middle school who was able to catch her interest in the civil rights movement. She was able to bring out Vanessa's academic potential and interest. Vanessa worked hard for a teacher who showed interest in her and what was important to her.
In high school, all that changed and she went back to being a social butterfly and lost interest in academics. She had wonderful potential but her priorities were not in the proper order.
When she entered her senior year not sure she could graduate, she began to re-evaluate her situation and began to see the importance of an education.
She seems willing to work with her guidance counselor and teachers to make it possible to graduate and go to college to get into hotel management and event planning.
She is more positive in her attitude towards teachers than Keisha was. She sees that a lot of the teachers do care. She also sees student disrespect as a big problem in school.
Tyrone is also popular and athletic. His priority is to play college basketball then go pro. But his grades are not consistant and that will be a problem getting into college. He keeps his grade up during basketball season but lets them drop the rest of the time.
Like Vanessa, he is beginning to see the importance of education and must decide to commit himself not only to the game but to his studies as well.
He feels the pressure to succeed to help his family have a better life. He even lies in bed and dreams of a better situation for his mom and five brothers and sisters.
He sees that there are teachers that don't care but he also sees there are a lot that do. He even feels sorry for what teachers have to put up with and how much they are paid for the work.
All the students discussed in this book have great potential and need caring teachers willing to get involved in their lives and find new strategies to reach them.
Vanessa the socialite has several issues. She is the oldest at eight, she is concerned about being popular. She is aware of the possibility of not graduating and she is aware of missed opportunities during her high school years. Vanessa’s perspective is that she likes school for the social aspect but dislikes doing the work. She likes to socialize and she believes that some teachers just don’t care. Vanessa’s Knowledge is that she has interest in future with hotel management and to accomplish this goal she must engage herself in more activities and possible peer monitoring, or some type of internship in which case she can gain some experience in her perspective field. If Vanessa doesn’t change she could encounter some consequences such as repeating her current grade, loose motivation to achieve, or drop out of school altogether. Her actions will determine the direction in which her future will take.
ReplyDeleteTyrone (The Sport Star) lives in a 2 bedroom Apt. with 5 brothers and sister. He is in a poverty stricken situation in which case is concerned about his safety. His grades in school is not consistent because when it time to play the sport he can perform well in class and on coursework. His goal is to professional and be the first person in his family to go to college. He feels it is his responsibility to “support” his family financially and that in itself is a lot for a child to carry as a burden. Tyrone could become a stronger student if he would apply himself regardless of the season, and if he would accept additional tutoring. He needs to allow himself to seek other alternatives for making a living instead of focusing on becoming a professional athlete. He seems to have a overall good attitude and if he could accept more responsibilities for school work and other activities he may discover other avenues to help him achieve his ultimate goal.
Issues
ReplyDeleteVanessa is the oldest of eight children. She enjoyed going to the school building to socialize with her friends and didn’t maximize her educational potential. It was during her senior year of high school that she worried about not graduating, because of her devotion to hanging out and lack of studying.
Perspectives
She had always been popular and enjoyed going to school to be with her friends. Studying was not on her list to do. She also liked a middle school teacher who exposed her to real life events that stimulated her interests.
Knowledge
I would like to find out her interests and involve her with hands-on activities in this area. She mentioned becoming a hotel owner. I would suggest to her to get a part-time job in a hotel to see if she would like to make this a career choice.
Actions
Vanessa could get involved in the SGA and Jr. Achievement organization if it were available at her school to get real world exposure particularly in hotel management.
Consequences
Due to her lack of concern for her classes, she may not graduate on time and or be required to attend summer school. This major wake up call could cause her motivation to decrease and ultimately drop out of high school. On the other hand, she may begin to see her life and education as important factors for success. This new out look on life could cause her to change her ways and make better choices to hang around positive successful people.
Tyrone
Issues
He faced poverty, had to be the man of the house, pressure to make it professionally in basketball so he could moved his family out of the neighborhood, and he lived in a crowded home. He was concerned about his safety at school.
Perspectives
Tyrone enjoyed school and was family oriented. He obviously wanted to make his family’s life better. He wanted to move his family to better and safer living conditions.
Knowledge
He was aware of his environment and knew the importance of education. He knew he needed to get a good education to help him be successful.
Actions
Although he knew education was important, he only worked hard to keep descent grades during the basketball season. During the off-season, he wouldn’t be as motivated to do his good work. I would suggest that he participate in a tutoring program to keep his academics in good standing, join a community basketball team to get extra practice and help him stay motivated and in shape. These suggestions would keep him focused on reaching his dream.
Consequences
Tyrone could face less or no playing time if his grades dropped to an unsatisfactory level. He might not make it to the professional league. Without an education, he might not get a job that would make it possible for him to move his family out of that area. On the other hand, with hard work and determination, he could earn a basketball scholarship at a top-ten school, eventually make it to the pros and fulfill his dream.
Vanessa is a social butterfly,and not really interested in school. She is in danger if not graduating, and needs intervention to get her back on the right track. Someone needs to help her find her interests and set expectations for her. Volunteering as an intern might be helpful to her.
ReplyDeleteTyrone is motivated by basketball. However, he only does well enough in school to play. He isn't concerned at all with his grades in off season. He also feels responsible for his family. He thinks that the only way to help them is to play professional sports. He is sure that he will go to college on a scholarship, and then be drafted onto a pro basketball team. He needs to receive good grades all year long to go to college, but he hasn't thought of that yet. Someone needs to give hima reality check. He would also benefit from a mentor.
ReplyDeleteReply to Kathy
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. All four students' experiences showed that teachers need to show they care about their students and their achievements in school.
Teachers have to be creative to reach some of today's students. But mostly they have to love helping the children they teach.
Vanessa was a completely involved with the social aspect of school. She loved being there for the wrong reasons. She begin to see insight at the end knowing that all of her social skills had gotten her behind in school. She needs to use her social skills to find her interest and maybe a counselor could direct her in a path where she could love and enjoy what she does. This could be used to his advantage but indeed was hurting him. He was doing enough just to get by. He should talk to some athletes who made and some who had to take alternate routes so that he has other choices and how important his grades need to be.
ReplyDeleteTyrone was the athlete his life revolved around basketball. Eat, slept, and drank ball.
I completely agree. They all are pretty much yearning for the same things. They want teachers who care, respect, and safety but who doesn't. They were asking for things they are suppose to recieve anyway.
ReplyDeleteTracy Yeldell said:
ReplyDeleteVanessa
Vanessa was very outgoing in school by being popular, cute, and being with the "in-crowd". She liked school, but not for the work. Vanessa did realize that when she became a senior in high school how the time had gone by. She realized she was really getting ready to graduate from high school and enter a world that held no promises and gave you nothing.
Even though Vanessa attended school for only socializing, there were two teachers who inspired her. Mrs. Livingston gained respect from Vanessa as well as gave Vanessa respect in the same manner. Vanessa knew that Mrs. Livingston cared and she treated the students as if they were her own children.
Vanessa also admired Mr. Malloy. He basically taught the children and made them feel as though they could do the work no matter how many problems were faced with learning the skill. He also showed them he cared by getting their parents involved and gave the students praise by letting the parents know about the students' academics.
There was a very valuable answer Vanessa gave when asked what teachers should know. One of those answers was "be well prepared." Students know when a teacher is not prepared and they feed off the confusion just as they feed off any thing negative, they can feed off anything positive.
Tyrone
Tyrone was a star athlete, good looking, and charming. With all this in consideration, school had been the place where Tyrone had always found security, commitment,and love.
At night when Tyrone laid down to go to sleep, he was consumed with the pressure he felt to get his family out of its present socioeconomic condition. He had dreams of being a NBA Basketball player, but he needed to maintain his grades so he could go to college to get his feet in the door. He believed and was determined that he was going to play pro-basketball. He did like the idea of maybe owning hiw own company if he did not make it in the NBA because he had a bigger weight on his shoulders than just school, and that was taking care of his family.
Tyrone liked Coach Tally because he was always prepared for school and he treated the students special. It meant the most to Tyrone when Ms. Burke and Mr. Wiggins would come to his games. It showed him they really cared after they had been with the students all day and then attended a game in the evening.
Mrs. Brown was Tyrone's favorite teacher. It seemed as though Tyrone could depend on Mrs. Brown to be at school and that was someone's face he knew he would see everyday. That gave him stability. She made him feel like he could learn anything.
Vanessa - Vanessa's main reason for attending school was to socialize. She realizes, too late, that if she wants to graduate on time she needs to get serious about her work. The good news about Vanessa is that she has not gotten into trouble, and she is finally realizing that to fulfill her dreams she must get busy.
ReplyDeleteTyrone - Tyrone, like Vanessa, was in school for social rather than academic reasons. Also, as a good athlete, he has the pressure of getting a college scholarship as a means to helping out his family. Tyrone has the ability to succeed, if he is motivated. That is why he is able to keep his grades up during the sport season.
Both Vanessa and Tyrone have a lot going for them and I feel very hopeful that they will make it.
Vanessa
ReplyDeleteVanessa was a socialite much like Keisha. School was a playground for her. She was in a family with eight children, so this leads me to believe that she had a lot of responsibility at home and school was an escape for her. Many teachers had tried to help Vanessa, but only one teacher got through to her. That was Mrs. Livingston in middle school. Mrs. Livingston found something that Vanessa was interested in-the Civil Rights Movement. She ended up with an A in the class, but Vanessa went back to her old ways in high school. Her guidance counselor met with her to determine her graduation status. Had Vanessa ruined her future? Vanessa wanted to go into hotel management. The counselor helped Vanessa locate schools that had good programs in this area. Vanessa would now just have to work really hard to succeed in her chosen profession. She would now have to care about school. Vanessa has some wonderful advice for teachers. The three most important things all teachers should know are, "to respect their students, be well prepared, and have high expectations of their students."
Tyrone
Tyrone was a star athlete at his school. He wanted to make it big in the pros. Some of Tyrone's teachers spent extra time with him to make sure that he did his part to succeed in school. Like Vanessa, Tyrone also felt a responsibility to his family. He wanted to provide a better life for them. Tyrone needed to realize that not all good athletes grow up to play professional ball. He would need something to fall back on. Even if he played pro ball, he would need the education to provide for his family after that was over. Tyrone also offered really good advice to teachers: "...students are looking for a connection of what the teacher is trying to teach to why do I need to know this."
I agree with Kathy. There is a common thread with all of these students. They need respect, they need their energy redirected to learning, and they all need to feel safe at school. If you do not feel safe at your school, then it is almost impossible to learn.
ReplyDeleteHarvey Knotts said,
ReplyDeleteVanessa and Tyrone have a lot of things in common. Both of these individuals are nice looking, come from low income families, hoping to make a better life for themselves, and both received motivation from a teacher to believe in there ability and strive to better their personal quality of existence.
Vanessa’s wild and popular life turned in a different direction when her social studies teacher saw that she could reach her with real life teaching strategies. This was a major stepping stone in Vanessa’s academic progress until she reached high school and slipped back into some of her old unproductive habits. As unfortunate as this was, she learned a lot from her experiences and her sound grasp of understanding about life is exposed in her interview with the principal.
Tyrone was a person that wanted better things in life not only for himself but his family. He viewed himself as a type of savior that would bring his family into a more fulfilling existence if he could just reach his dream as a professional athlete. His dedication was admirable, but like Vanessa he had his set-backs. When basketball season was over, his academic progress suffered.
Also like Vanessa he had an understanding of how the world operates and respected his coach’s interest in him.
One important lesson gleaned from both of these situations is people are more receptive and willing to exert more personal effort when they feel genuinely appreciated. Also, we as people should never underestimate the power of personal influence.
Chapter 3 Vanessa
ReplyDeleteVanessa liked school, but not for the education she was receiving. Vanessa was more interested in her social life among her peers. Just like so many of today’s high school students find themselves, Vanessa found herself not prepared for the next level of higher education. Vanessa encountered teachers who really took an interest in her, but she refused to listen.
Chapter 4 Tyrone
Tyrone was a star athlete among his classmates who enjoyed attending school solely for the praises he received from his peers. Tyrone had dreams of playing college basketball as well as in the NBA, but at times his grades would suffer. Tyrone only did enough to keep his eligibility during basketball season. Tyrone was pressured by his family’s socioeconomic conditions and felt a need to be the bread winner for his family. Tyrone liked teachers that showed interest in him.
Sonya Thomas