Exit Slip - September 5, 2019

Today's class was a real platform for all of us to interact for the first time through our views and perceptions about different topics, proving that each individual can have unique ideas about anything and everything. Such lively and open analysis helps in understanding, how different arguments can be discussed without arguing; respecting difference of opinion in all circumstances and how different ideologies collaborate towards unified theory that can illuminate one's path of learning.

    Six controversial statements about (math) education:    Things are constantly changing, so are the young minds. Studying and exchanging thoughts on the six statements taken from Borasi's article made me think that how people develop these and many other myths about education and what is its impact on people in general, but students in particular. I strongly feel it is our role as a teacher to inquire if certain notions obstructs active learning for a student in any way.
   
   Frank McCourt: From slums to students heart, from ashes to 'Angela's Ashes', from an ordinary teacher to the 'Teacher Man', Frank McCourt's valuable experiences inculcates a sense of never giving up in all his students and now in us, as we proceed in this thrilling adventure of learning and following his footsteps towards miraculous journey of discovering ourselves as teachers. There is lot to learn from Frank's inquiry skills and teaching practices, few of which can be summarized as;

• Developing a sense of responsibility towards your students and yourself:  I now feel that a Teacher needs to study their students (emotionally and psychologically) before making them study their subject. Teachers can use their skills to discover student's competence, cooperating it into meaningful learning.
• Practicing and cultivating Power of Thinking: A Teacher should be able to motivate students to think, wonder and inquire about and beyond text.
• Stimulating Critical Inquiry: Encouraging critical thinking by analyzing text through different perspectives, research findings, data and facts. 
• Open to new Learning: Frank's statement," If you are teaching and you're are not learning, you're not teaching" emphasizes the fact that learning is life long process and there is lot to learn form everyday experiences with students. A balance between learning(lessons and unit plans) and practicing( actual teaching through experiences and story-telling) in class can inspire students to put all their efforts to produce best results.

    I feel motivated after watching both the videos as I am also a immigrant like Mr. McCourt and sometimes feel different about my accent. I am strengthened from his struggle(first as hardships in childhood and second as a foreigner) to represent myself and utilize the skills learnt so far and more on the way to grow as a successful teacher and drive my students to be fruitful not only in their careers, but in their life.