C4T #3 Summary Post

The blog I commented on was called, “About a Teacher”.

The first post I commented on was called, “Aren’t We Done with Waiting?” Greta talks about having the initiative to be a concerned and involved professional and use our skills to collaboratively help children. She is advocating a grassroots movement of networked education professionals committed to parent/student/teacher communication to effect positive change in all of our educational processes. As John Donne said: “No man is an Island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the Continent, a part of the main; if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friends or of thine own were; any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankind; And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; It tolls for thee.” In other words, we’re all in this together. Let’s do what we can.

I commented to Greta and told her that a lot of what she talked about is the approach I want to take when I teach. I said that positive effects from the bottom up cannot help but contribute to some amount of change.

Greta’s second post I commented on was about loving your children in your class before you even know them. Greta had the “bad” child in one of her classes. The child all of the teachers warn you about. This little boy Thomas had serious behavior problems. Greta found out that he had been a victim of sexual abuse. She showed him that she cared about him, spent time with him and did little things that eventually helped the way he acted and changed his attitude. She loved him before she even knew him, and she really ended up helping him.

I commented to her and told her that that was wonderful, that she was a great impact in his life. I said that being about to learn about, love and help my students I will have one day is something I’m so excited about.