What of this book business?

So here I am in my new placement and although I think the cooperating teacher is a swell character, I find that his teaching is dry and baron. He teachers from the book , to the test, and lacks passion. Furthermore, his stundents don’t seem to respect him at all. I had heard about teaching from the book as a big no no and a practice done by the dinosaurs, but this man is young..Where did his passion go, or did he have any to begin with? I find myself picking his brain fo knowledge of the content, but not for teaching tips. Anyone seen this sort of thing in their placement?

“ The true teacher defends his pupils against his own personal influence. He inspires self-distrust. He guides their eyes from himself to the spirit that quickens him. He will have no disciple.

— Amos Bronson Alcott

“ I had a terrible education. I attended a school for emotionally disturbed teachers.

— Woody Allen

“ You teach best what you most need to learn.” -

— Richard David Bach

“ Prejudices, it is well known, are most difficult to eradicate from the heart whose soil has never been loosened or fertilized by education; they grow there, firm as weeds among rocks.

— Charlotte Bronte

“ A poor surgeon hurts 1 person at a time. A poor teacher hurts 130.

— Ernest Leroy Boyer

Discipline

I am now working with 7th and 8th graders and am intrigued by the level of discipline that is necessary to accomplish anything in the classroom. I am curious as to if these students are simply accustomed to teachers with little expectations of them? Also, had the students started the year with a teacher who had and enforced their expectations, would they be any different?

No go strategy

When I see teachers trying to be friends rather than teachers I think the lessons are lost as is the respect. When we walk into the class we are authority’s (even if we have to fake it) we must appear as if we are on a mission, not there for no damn good reason, but for purpose. I have seen teachers make light of serious situations to avoid conflict, only to have to revisit the same scenario the next day. No go on the buddy factor!