Alina's Exit Slip - Sept 10

Hello everyone!

    I really enjoyed today’s class discussion because it opened my mind to ideas that I had never considered before. One topic that stood out to me was how Frank McCourt was very honest and direct with his students. One of his main suggestions as a teacher was to simply be yourself and tell the truth. I found this interesting because it shows how authenticity can build relationships with students and make the classroom feel more genuine. I was particularly interested in how Frank noticed that when students wanted to skip class, they would impersonate notes written by their parents. Instead of punishing the students for doing this, he found a way to connect the situation to his English class content by using the excuse notes as examples of writing. I think this is a creative way to increase student engagement and demonstrate how teachers can turn everyday situations into learning opportunities. However, Frank’s teaching style also raised the question of whether there is a point where a teacher can be too open or personal with their students. Personally, I agree that being yourself and telling the truth as a teacher is valuable in many ways, but I also believe that teachers need to maintain certain boundaries and keep some aspects of their personal lives private. Building meaningful connections with students is important, but teachers also need to recognize when a personal boundary may be crossed. Frank was clearly successful in connecting with his students, which left me wondering what his life outside of the classroom looked like. I found myself wondering about the external factors and challenges he faced and whether they contributed to the way he interacted with his students. Overall, the discussion made me reconsider what it means to be an authentic teacher. I still believe that teachers should be genuine and approachable, but I now see that authenticity does not necessarily mean sharing everything about yourself. There needs to be a balance between being yourself, building relationships with students, and maintaining professional boundaries. This is something I will keep in mind as I develop my own teaching style.