Blog Post 8

        The ideas presented by Robert DiGiulio are centered around the idea that teaching is not about testing and the qualifications that you have from former education, but the heart that you put into the classroom. Much like the previous blog based on Ayers's ideas, the focus that DiGiulio stresses seem to negate some practices that are current in the field of education. When he states the overall qualities of a teacher, he says, "In short, the memorable teachers were skillful, enthusiastic, caring, and perhaps even idiosyncratic."
When I read this, I was struck by the idea that teachers do not always need to be what everyone claims that teachers should be. They need to look to the students to find their source of teaching and the way that the classroom should be run.
        In the guide that I wrote from Ayers's To Teach, I feel that DiGiulio restates some points and introduces some new things to consider. In regards to the Self-Criticism that Ayers discusses, I think that DiGiulio expands that to also include the students. The way that you can reflect on how you are doing things or the skill that you have as a teacher can be traced back to the students and their success in your classroom. It is less about the test scores that are standardized by the states and more on the creativity level and how well they are able to comprehend the concepts that are taught in class. 
        New ideas that DiGiulio presents include paths that reveal how the teacher can help the student to succeed. The paths of producing, empowering, and connecting are key themes to consider. Teaching is not just about giving the students the answers and knowing how well they can copy the processes of the teacher, but about truly understanding what is being taught. Producing original ideas and knowing that the students were able to achieve without being directly guided is very fulfilling. Empowering the students in a way that they know that they can achieve anything they set out to achieve is something that I strive to do as a teacher. The third point, connecting, should be done in every classroom. The teachers should really get to know the students as people and as bright young minds. When the teacher connects to the student, they know the way that the child learns best, the ideal setting for the student, and some background about why a student may do something differently. The overall message that I took away from the reading was to make sure to cover what Ayers suggested, but to also take it a step further and to know that my students are achieving in the way that I see best. While I may not be able to rid my classroom of the standardized tests, I will not look to the scores to determine how I am teaching. I will look to each student as an individual person to uncover the true impact of my teaching.