Exit slip - Alfie Kohn and Jo Boaler

I strongly agree with Alfie about the negative effects of praise on children.

I think it is important to support, encourage, and love children unconditionally, but praising children is completely a different story (as studies has shown). When we praise children for their generosity or works, we make them see these actions not as something valuable in themselves, but as something to be praised. Before being praised, an action might be seen an end to them, but after that it might become a means to an end.

Moreover, praising children frequently make them more dependent and less secure. We make them look at us for judgment and need our approval on what they do to feel good.

However, I think instead of praising their works, we can ask questions about their works and what they themselves think about their works and why.

I totally agree that one-dimensional approach in mathematics should be replaced with multi-dimensional one.  Multi-dimensional approach by engaging students in the learning process makes mathematics more enjoyable and much more easier to learn.

Entrance slip- Grant and Zeichner

I found the concept of reflective action completely relevant to our today classroom environment though it was written in a different time and place. One interesting topic that the authors brought up was that “the reflective teacher is dedicated and committed to teaching all students, not just certain students,”(wholeheartedness). I think that the main reason students come to class is to learn so the main responsibility of teachers should be to facilitate all students’ learning and thinking. Although it is not easy to find a way to reach all students, it is not impossible and I am sure that a responsible teacher always would be able to find a way to do what he or she is responsible for. As a math teacher in Iran, I always thought this was my responsibility to make sure that all students in my class learned the lesson before leaving the classroom. I was successful in doing with my students’ help. I turned my classroom into a friendly community that enabled my students to work together and help each other with their homework. They had no homework to do at home. In one of my classes, I even had a student that was a bit slow in talking and solving problems. At the beginning, she has no friend, but as time went by all other students really cared for her learning and homework.

Reflective teaching, a process of self-observation and self-evaluation, help me as a future teacher to look at ‘what I do’ in the classroom, to question ‘why I do’, and to think ‘if it works’. It helps me to challenge and test out my actions and everyday routines and to improve my teaching.

Exit slip: Frank McCourt

To McCourt, I think "teacher inquiry" meant:
to start thinking, searching for meaning,
to develop a sense of critical inquiry,
to learn about students epistemology of learning,
to let students explore, vent,
to be honest with students.

The most interesting idea I got from McCourt was never stop learning.