The Essential 55: Chapter 22-32

On these chapters, I like how Mr. Clark talks more about the students behaving in the classroom and being comfortable in there as well. I love rule 22! It is so uncomrtable when I'm in class and teachers don't let us have food with us. We're literally in school for about eight hours. We need to be able to stay hydrated and have food with us to be able to learn while being comfortable. As Mr. Clark said, "We all perform better when we are comfortable with our surroundings."(77) We all know that being comfortable and living comfortable is probably the most important thing in life. To live comfortable we need our necessities like food and something to drink. Especially in school! 

Rule 23 Mr. Clark says that learning teachers names is important and beneficial. I totally agree with him. I might not know the names of ALL of the teachers in my school, but I make sure to know their names when I need something from them. Teachers are people that help you on anything. Which is why I agree with the statement Mr. Clark says, " The more adults in the school they know, the more people there will be for them to turn to when they have problems or need help."(82) If for some reason a teacher isn't available to help a student, there are like 30 more around school available. Even the administration people or librarian! Any adult in school is helpful! 

Rule 24 is literally what Ms. Ricardo (my sites teacher) has to remind the kids of! Since they are pre- k students, they don't understand that not flushing the toilet or washing their hands after going to the restroom. Although, according to Ms. Ricardo, it's something they should be learning at home from THE PARENTS, she feels the need to remind them everyday until they understand that it's pretty gross and dirty to not wash their hands or flush the toilet. When I reas the following quote from Mr. Clark, "I talk to the students a lot about how hard the custodians work and how it is easy for us to help them by doing a few very small things..."(85) Reminded me of what Ms. Ricardo tells the kids. She usually starts with saying how irresponsible it is for them and then she states that it is really, really rude to the people that take their time to clean their pee. She is very descriptive when she talks about stuff like this. 

Rule 25 is something that needs to be done all the time for any occasion when someone is new to a place. For example, I've been to parties or reunions where I literally know NO ONE! Everyone is a stranger and I'm just sitting there waiting for the one person I know. Or in some occasion, a new job. Where I know absolutely no one and feel so awkward just being there. People should at least greet or introduce themselves so the new person can feel a little bit comfortable. But just like Mr. Clark said, "It is all about making the person feel comfortable and welcomed in their new surroundings."(85-86) This is so true, if you don't know how to act in front of a person, just imagine what you would like someone to tell you or treat you when you are new somewhere. 

Rule 28 is my favorite of this 10! When a teacher gives the class or their students their information, I know I can trust them, or even when they tell us we can email them. In my high school years is when teachers should be more accessible since we as high schoolers are a little bit busier and need help with school stuff. For example, my teacher; Ms. Barron, in my first year being in her classroom she gave all of her students her number on the first day of school explaining to us if we need any help with what we were working on, we could send her a message. She obviously had rules towards the messaging thing, but it made me feel like I had her support and help when I needed it. Also, children that didn't understand a thing or two of what went on in classroom or just need individual attention benefit from this. Mr. Clark says, "Giving my phone number to them gives those kids and opportunity to get individual attention from me that isn't possible in school" (92) 

These 10 rules were really interesting. I liked reading Mr. Clark's point of view for each of them. 

Here is a Link of a blog I found that talks about an activity you can do with the students using the essential 55! I read it and I would totally love to do it in my future classroom. 

The Essential 55, Chapter 11-21

On the chapters 11-21, I learned about how Mr. Clark got the idea of suprising others with gifts or acts of kindness every now in then. Reading through rule 11 made me tear a little! I love the stories of him and all the things he did to publish on the newspaper! I think what Mr. Clark did was expand the students' knowledge about the world they live in. They got to learn about other people's opinion, from people all over the world! As he says, "The whole process was essential for these kids who had very little experience of life beyond their community."(31-32) I want to become a similar teacher as Mr. Clark, the way he crossed boundaries to help his students succeed is extremely great. Like him doing a car wash to raise more money although he HATES car washes. He did it all for them, it's just incredible. As I read, this was an amazing experience for the students, "It was so much fun to learn about the various individuals and to hear all of their responses to our question."(35) This shows what it meant to the kids. Rule 13 is one that interested me. Mr. Clark understands how important it is for students to follow along while reading, but he also understands that students sometimes get distracted easily and stop following along and paying attention. He said, "Sometimes out of boredom I would stare at the page we were on and daydream about anything from winning the lottery to being asked by NASA to be the first high school student to fly to the moon."(46) But he also states, "I had to force myself to be an active participant."(46-47) All he tries to do with his students is teach them how to listen. Just listening and following along will make time pass by quick and stop you from getting bored. The one rule that is actually really tough, and I mean REALLY TOUGH for me to follow is rule 19, which is about turning in homework when it's assigned with no complaining, or moaning whatsoever. I think that as a kid it's easy to finish homework, but once I started high school it became difficult. Although I believe I'm a responsible student and turn in my assignments on time, I struggle to get my stuff done! I try to not complain about things sometimes, but I still slip out my complains. But as Mr. Clark says in his book, "Sometimes there are things we just have to do that we may not want to do at the very moment, but it is our obligation and so we should do it anyway without moaning or making comments about how we don't want to."(67) I believe that everything we do makes us smarter, and better at being us. Instead of constantly complaining, think of all the good and positive things it will bring to you. Here is a really interesting video that students did acting out Mr. Clark's rules, it's nice and humorous! video

The Essential 55, chapter 1-10

After reading the first 10 chapters or rules of the book, I really feel interested in reading more about it. I like how there is a real story and reason why Mr. Clark made the rules. Some of my favorite rules between these chapters are 1, 9, and 10. Rule number 1 I feel is very important, especially now days. Children and even adults forget to do simple things like finishing a sentence with "ma'am" or "sir." It's a very big important sign for respect, and like Mr. Clark said, "If you want children to respect you, you have to let them know it."(1) Letting the children know that you want and deserve respect is really important, and is something you should let students know in the first day of school.

I like how Mr. Clark reminded the kids to MAKE SURE to always say "ma'am" or "sir" when having a conversation. Also, how the people interviewing them were impressed with their manners. 

Rule 9 is also one of my favorites. Personally, I Iike when people say thank you for handing them something or doing something for them. In my job, it frustrates me when costumers come in and get a subway sandwich and don't say thank you. I made a whole sandwhich for the person, and it is ridiculously disrespectful to not say thank you after not only making the sandwhich, but also after being respectful and patient. In the book, Mr. Clark talks about never forgetting the boy that had Mr. Clark and taught him to always say thank you, and years later, he still never forgot to say thank you to people. It stuck with him basically. "She said one boy recalled how one day in fifth grade he had won a lollipop, but before he could put it in his mouth Mr. Clark had taken it away because he hadn't said thank you."(25) This story is I think "rough" on the kid because I know how it is when people take something you really like away, so I can imagine how he felt as a kid, but I also know that it really helped him understand to ALWAYS SAY THANK YOU. LITERALLY ALWAYS. Just like Mr. Clark said, ... I always try to make sure to thank whoever I am dealing with- the checkout clerk, the waitress, a person who holds the door for me, the friend who does a favor, or anyone who does something for me, no matter how major or minor."(25-26)

Rule 10 is another favorite, again, it's about having manners and being respectful. As Mr. Clark said, "It's irritating to give a gift that's not appreciated."(28) I like how he canceled the bowling trip, he must of felt bad for having to cancel a trip you've been planning forever. I imagine it was bad for the students too. But it taught them to appreciate things. It doesn't matter if they're little or big. Appreciate it. 

Some other stories that I like about the book is when he talks about agreeing and disagreeing in a correct manner. I like how he said, "There is no way to know all of the things that make up your neighbor's ideas."(11) We don't think the same, us people will never think the same because of our different mindsets, so there is not point to get upset for how people think and agree with. 

Rules 1-10 of the essential 55 are all important. They all have a story behind them and reasons to why it should be taught. I absolutely agree with all of them. 

Here is a very interesting lesson plan made with the help of the essential 55 Link

Learning in schools

After watching Mr Richardson's TED talked, I realized that schools aren't places to learn. We learn literally everywhere and anywhere. I believe that school is just a place that "motivates" us to learn. We have adults telling us what to do and trying to persuade us to be successful in these places. 

To wanting to learn something, you have to be motivated by something or someone, to me, that someone are my parents. In general, they motivate me to accomplish my goals, but when it's about learning academically, I'm a person that always wonders what next, I'm always wanting and seeking for more, which really motivates me to learn and want more. 

From Mr. Richardson's speech, I realized that schools should really change their environment and focus on what children want to learn. An ideal learning environment for me would be having round tables or just tables that 4-5 students can sit around from. Also, having many white boards for students to work on to learn. 

To measure students' performances, I would personally ask them how they feel about the lesson, or simply ask if they understand it.