1.Write your name (first and last) on the blank side of the index card in bold marker. 2.On the back, answer a few questions: “I am passionate about…” “After high school, I think I might like to…” Mister Thompson I am passionate about soccer, reading, writing, teaching, spending time with my family, restoring old Volkswagens, and Boise State football. After high school, I think I might like to start a band, work at a radio station, take some college classes, open a recording studio and, eventually, become a high school English teacher!

What do we have in common? Soccer! Working on cars (old VWs, specifically) Didn’t like high school English classes (or most others, for that matter!) Songwriter/Guitar player High school band Reading Writing (mostly fiction & poetry) Watching college football (Go Broncos!) Was afraid I wouldn’t graduate high school Cycling (doing it… and watching it!) Beach Bum (walking, reading, relaxing, re- centering) Who did I miss?

 Who are we?  How will our class be different with Mr. Thompson?  3 days per week until Spring Break, every day after that!  My three ideologies (what I think is most important) in the classroom  Introduced by a William Stafford poem

“You Reading This, Be Ready” by William Stafford Starting here, what do you want to remember? How sunlight creeps along a shining floor? What scent of old wood hovers, what softened sound from outside fills the air? Will you ever bring a better gift for the world than the breathing respect that you carry wherever you go right now? Are you waiting for time to show you some better thoughts? When you turn around, starting here, lift this new glimpse that you found; carry into evening all that you want from this day. This interval you spent reading or hearing this, keep it for life – What can anyone give you greater than now, starting here, right in this room, when you turn around?

“You Reading This, Be Ready” by William Stafford Starting here, what do you want to remember? How sunlight creeps along a shining floor? What scent of old wood hovers, what softened sound from outside fills the air? Will you ever bring a better gift for the world than the breathing respect that you carry wherever you go right now? Are you waiting for time to show you some better thoughts? When you turn around, starting here, lift this new glimpse that you found; carry into evening all that you want from this day. This interval you spent reading or hearing this, keep it for life – What can anyone give you greater than now, starting here, right in this room, when you turn around?

How can the classroom be authentic (real)? My goal: Everything in class relates to real life there is no busy work. “Why do we have to do this?” Authentic discussions and readings Writing to real audiences for real purposes Authentic assessments Involves everyone “When you turn around, starting here, lift this / new glimpse that you found; carry into evening / all that you want from this day. This interval you spent / reading or hearing this, keep it for life –” “Education is not a preparation for life; education is life itself.” (John Dewey)

What is it? It is “thinking about thinking.” (Who feels like drawing?) It is thinking about: What we think Why we think the way we do How others think Why they think the way they do “Starting here, what do you want to remember? / How sunlight creeps along a shining floor? / What scent of old wood hovers, what softened / sound from outside fills the air? ” "A great many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices." (William James)

What does respect look like? Teacher’s respect for students? Student’s respect for teacher? Students’ respect for each other? Students’ respect for themselves? “Will you ever bring a better gift for the world / than the breathing respect that you carry / wherever you go right now ?” "Men are respectable only as they respect" - Ralph Waldo Emerson

One a scale of 1-5, how well do you understand Mr. Thompson’s expectations about respect in the classroom? 1 – I don’t get it at all 3 – I’m pretty sure I’ve got it 5 – I know it so well, I could teach a class on it!

One a scale of 1-5, how well do you understand the idea of metacognition (thinking about thinking)? 1 – I don’t get it at all 3 – I’m pretty sure I’ve got it 5 – I know it so well, I could teach a class on it!

One a scale of 1-5, how well do you understand what Mr. Thompson means by authenticity in the classroom? 1 – I don’t get it at all 3 – I’m pretty sure I’ve got it 5 – I know it so well, I could teach a class on it!

Which choice best represents the three goals of Mr. Thompson’s teaching? 1. Interrupting someone is okay if you have something better to say, classroom writing should always be directed to the teacher, and the textbook is the best source of information. 2. Students must always be silent during class, getting good grades is the most important thing, and students must adopt the teacher’s opinions. 3. The teacher views the students as young adults, relates instruction to the real world as much as possible, and challenges students to examine their beliefs about themselves.

In the time we have left, open your journals and write about… “A time I felt respected was when…” What happened? How did it make you feel? “A time I felt disrespected was when…” What happened? How did it make you feel? How did you respond to the situation?