This past week was Thanksgiving and I was able to travel to Chicago for the holiday weekend. I found that reading on the flight to Chicago was a very good use of my time. I continued to read "The Blind Side" by Michael Lewis. The main things I read about this week were the NCAA's investigation of Michael Oher's college recruitment process and the the way that NFL football strategy changed during the 1980's. Like I said last week, I am fascinated by the story of Michael Oher. It's amazing that a person can go from being homeless and skipping school on a regular basis to a college graduate who plays in the NFL in the span of six years. I think it's important that people never underestimate the impact that a few people who care can have on a person's life. I can only think about how so many people could be so much more successful in life if they had a few people who cared about them.
On another note, I think it's time for me to say how much I've enjoyed the assignment of reading for pleasure for 90 minutes each week. I've always loved reading and I was a voracious reader when I was in elementary school and junior high. As I entered high school, I had a much more busy schedule and reading was one of the first things to go. Throughout high school, I think I only read one book for pleasure. During college, I read in spurts, but not on a consistent basis at all. During January of my junior year, I read four books. It really felt good to read again, but I stopped when I got busier again. This class has provided me with a great "excuse" to read. Without this class, I'm not sure I would be reading. So, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I am thankful for this class and the impact it has had on my reading habits.
My Reading Log
11/23 7:00-8:30 am
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Week 7
After finishing "The Tipping Point" by Gladwell, I had no new reading material at home. One book that I read a couple of years ago that I was interested in reading again was "The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game" by Michael Lewis. This book is the story of Michael Oher and is the basis for the award winning movie "The Blind Side" starring Sandra Bullock and Tim McGraw. This book has two major storylines. The first is the change in strategy of football over the past few decades to a game that emphasizes passing and the importance of the left tackle position. The second storyline is the story of Michael Oher. Oher was a young African-American growing up in extreme poverty in Memphis. Oher attended over a dozen public schools in Memphis, and was just passed along through the educational system without ever really learning anything. Taken in by an white, upper class family, Oher is finally given a chance to succeed. With help, he begins to slowly succeed in school. After raising his grades high enough, he is allowed to play sports and this is where the two storylines intersect. Oher becomes a well-known football player and is a highly recruited left tackle. Eventually, he attends college at Ole Miss and graduates with a college degree and goes on to play in the NFL. Having already read this book, I can say that it is one of my favorite books I've ever read. More than football, though, this book is about second chances, overcoming obstacles, not letting others' expectations define you, and love. I would recommend this book to anyone, regardless of whether you like football or not!
My life circumstances have changed greatly since I read this book the first time. The first time I read "The Blind Side", I was working on my Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, now I am working on my Master's Degree in Education. Before, I was a player on multiple athletic teams, now I am a coach for multiple teams. My reactions while reading "The Blind Side" are much different now than they were before. In the "Blind Side", Lewis talks about the way the teachers in the Memphis educational system just passed Michael Oher from grade to grade without taking any interest in him. Oher was dismissed as being "unable to learn". Finally, Oher found teachers at a school, though, who took an interest in him. They helped him learn how to learn and how to help himself. This was powerful to read as a future educator. Reading this made me realize the impact that teachers can have on the lives of their student. One teacher can change the entire course of a student's life. Next, I was reminded of the impact that sports can have on a person's life. The lesson here doesn't apply to just sports, it applies to any activity. Students can experience so much personal growth when they find an activity that they enjoy. This is why I think it is absolutely essential that our educational system not emphasize standardized testing so much that elective courses and other school activities are cut out of the lives of our students.
My Reading Log
11/14 11:30-12:00 am
11/15 10:30-11:40 pm
11/19 12:00-1:00 am
My life circumstances have changed greatly since I read this book the first time. The first time I read "The Blind Side", I was working on my Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, now I am working on my Master's Degree in Education. Before, I was a player on multiple athletic teams, now I am a coach for multiple teams. My reactions while reading "The Blind Side" are much different now than they were before. In the "Blind Side", Lewis talks about the way the teachers in the Memphis educational system just passed Michael Oher from grade to grade without taking any interest in him. Oher was dismissed as being "unable to learn". Finally, Oher found teachers at a school, though, who took an interest in him. They helped him learn how to learn and how to help himself. This was powerful to read as a future educator. Reading this made me realize the impact that teachers can have on the lives of their student. One teacher can change the entire course of a student's life. Next, I was reminded of the impact that sports can have on a person's life. The lesson here doesn't apply to just sports, it applies to any activity. Students can experience so much personal growth when they find an activity that they enjoy. This is why I think it is absolutely essential that our educational system not emphasize standardized testing so much that elective courses and other school activities are cut out of the lives of our students.
My Reading Log
11/14 11:30-12:00 am
11/15 10:30-11:40 pm
11/19 12:00-1:00 am
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Week 6
I finished reading "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell this week. The most interesting thing I read about this week was the epidemic of teen smoking. Gladwell noted that the rate of teen smoking has been rising despite the fact that the prices of cigarettes have been raised and the laws regarding selling cigarettes to minors have been tightened. Also, Gladwell pointed out that the efforts to educate teens about the dangers of smoking have failed. In fact, Gladwell argued that most smokers tend to overestimate the potential risks of smoking. A study by a Harvard economist found that smokers tend to guess that smoking takes nine years off a person's life. In reality, the true answer in somewhere between six and seven years.
The lesson that Gladwell wants his readers to understand is that the fight to reduce teen smoking should not be given up; instead, the strategy to reduce teen smoking should be changed. Gladwell argued that researchers and scientists should look to find a way to lower the nicotine level in cigarettes so that teens do not get the same buzz or high from their first few cigarettes that causes them to move from being recreational smokers to addicted smokers. This is the sort of "outside the box" thinking that draws me to Gladwell's writing. Although I did not enjoy "The Tipping Point" quite as much as "Outliers", I still want to read more of Gladwell's writing.
Thinking about what sort of writing style interests me brings me to another idea I want to talk about. I'm not sure about other people, but I can often tell if I will like a book or not by the time I finish reading the first paragraph or page. This experience was especially true for me at one point in high school. I checked out a book from our library and I was excited to start reading it. The first page was not that interesting to me, but I decided to keep reading because I thought the book could get better. The farther I kept reading, the more I realized that the book was not interesting to me. In the end, I quit reading before I finished the first chapter. Since that point, I don't think I have ever finished a book that didn't excite me after the first page.
My Reading Log
11/8 - 11:30-12:00 am
11/9 - 10:30-11:00 pm
11/10 - 1:30-2:00 pm
The lesson that Gladwell wants his readers to understand is that the fight to reduce teen smoking should not be given up; instead, the strategy to reduce teen smoking should be changed. Gladwell argued that researchers and scientists should look to find a way to lower the nicotine level in cigarettes so that teens do not get the same buzz or high from their first few cigarettes that causes them to move from being recreational smokers to addicted smokers. This is the sort of "outside the box" thinking that draws me to Gladwell's writing. Although I did not enjoy "The Tipping Point" quite as much as "Outliers", I still want to read more of Gladwell's writing.
Thinking about what sort of writing style interests me brings me to another idea I want to talk about. I'm not sure about other people, but I can often tell if I will like a book or not by the time I finish reading the first paragraph or page. This experience was especially true for me at one point in high school. I checked out a book from our library and I was excited to start reading it. The first page was not that interesting to me, but I decided to keep reading because I thought the book could get better. The farther I kept reading, the more I realized that the book was not interesting to me. In the end, I quit reading before I finished the first chapter. Since that point, I don't think I have ever finished a book that didn't excite me after the first page.
My Reading Log
11/8 - 11:30-12:00 am
11/9 - 10:30-11:00 pm
11/10 - 1:30-2:00 pm
Monday, November 7, 2011
Week 5
Like the previous two weeks, I struggled to find time to read this week. Thankfully, next week is finally looking like it will be a slower week for me. I am still working my way through "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell. The most interesting thing I read about this week was the drop in crime in New York City. Gladwell argued that the crime rate dropped in NYC because of small changes that were made over time by the police department and other city officials. These small changes included painting over graffiti as soon as it was spotted and harsher punishments for people caught committing common crimes such as aggressive panhandling or subway fare evasion. Gladwell noted that NYC went from being one of the most dangerous large cities in the world to one of the safest in less than a decade.
One of the main ideas of "The Tipping Point" is that little things can make a difference. This idea intrigues me as it relates to education. I've often that the difference between a student who excels in school and a student who performs poorly in school is small. It seems like one person can often change a student's outlook on their education. This person can be a teacher, parent, coach, administrator, or any other person the student comes in contact with. I think school faculty and staff members need to realize the impact they can have on the lives of students. Often, students are looking for one person who takes an interest in their life. Once a student sees that an adult cares about them and their education, their achievement is likely to improve quickly. With this in mind, it is my hope as a teacher to make a difference in my students' lives. I would like to get to know my students and show them that I care about them. Hopefully, I can make a positive impact that will help my students persevere through school and life.
One of the main ideas of "The Tipping Point" is that little things can make a difference. This idea intrigues me as it relates to education. I've often that the difference between a student who excels in school and a student who performs poorly in school is small. It seems like one person can often change a student's outlook on their education. This person can be a teacher, parent, coach, administrator, or any other person the student comes in contact with. I think school faculty and staff members need to realize the impact they can have on the lives of students. Often, students are looking for one person who takes an interest in their life. Once a student sees that an adult cares about them and their education, their achievement is likely to improve quickly. With this in mind, it is my hope as a teacher to make a difference in my students' lives. I would like to get to know my students and show them that I care about them. Hopefully, I can make a positive impact that will help my students persevere through school and life.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)