Blog post 7

   A bridge between the teacher and his/her students is essential for any positive learning to take place. This bridge is not just built overnight however. It requires constant effort from teacher and student. Trust, comfort, and consistency are a few of the key elements that need to be in place for a positive teacher-student relationship. In the book, Ayers has the children physically build a bridge which allows the class pet turtle to get to his food. By having the children perform this activity, they are able to see that a little work by each individual can ultimately help everyone in achieving a common goal. Personally, I think this is the most important aspect of education and being a "good teacher". In order for an entire class to make gains and become more educated in the class that they are in, they need to work hard to make themselves better before they can help others. The same goes for the teacher as well.
   The adult literacy class example in the book shows empowered students changing the community in which they live to better their own personal lives and the lives of those in their community. This example is very similar to the turtle example in the fact that the teacher/students are making small changes in their own selves to benefit the class as a whole. This also means that everyone is motivated to work for a common goal. Even though the pattern of these two examples are not the same, they are very similar.
    Let's say I'm going to teach my class about organelles and how they contribute to the cell. Each of the students will be given an organelle and asked to complete a task around the room that corresponds to the organelles function. After some time, I am going to have tell some of the students to stop doing their job. This is going to upset the students who are still working and picking up the slack of the students who do not have to work. This cell organelle example is a perfect for showing that in order for the class to reach its ultimate goal, everyone needs to do their job and work together.