Chapter 7

While reading chapter 7, I was struck by the anecdote about Miss DeLay. When they talk about “challenge and nurture” on page 198 and describe how she pushes the students to do their best, I found that to be a very good way to frame and view how I should interact with my students. The section that says, “That is part of Miss DeLay’s genius- to put people in the frame of mind where they can do their best….Very few teachers can actually get you to your ultimate potential. Miss DeLay has that gift. She challenges you at the same time that you feel you are being nurtured.” I look at this quote as something that I need to keep in mind as I push my students and always remember that there are two parts of my job. I also see this as a very difficult balancing act to accomplish. After reading this I have kept it in mind while working with my students and it can be difficult to know how far to push them and still setting the bar high enough for them to reach their full potential. I think that this will always be something that as a teacher I will need to keep working on and pushing myself to learn each child to know how to support them in multiple ways so that they can realize their own potential.