Response #3 Chapters 5, 6 and 7

Quotes from Tomlinson that spoke to me:

1. “…we rarely succeed in teaching subjects unless we teach human beings as well,” (pg. 57). I agree with this statement because this quote hits home to me. It reminds me of all that I have learned in the elementary education program about teaching to the needs of the students. The students won’t learn anything if they aren’t interested in it or they don’t have a connection to the information. This quotation, to me, brings up the point that as teachers we can’t expect to have cookie cutter lessons or the “one size fits all” lessons. Teaching is about adapting to students’ needs.

2. “Take time to be human with your students and give them time to do likewise,” (pg. 73). I agree with this statement because I believe it is important that students know you are human and allow them to be themselves. Students need that opportunity to learn about you and connect in some way. I find that I am a better listener to people who I can relate to. If somehow I can find a connection with them then that relationship is well on its way to becoming great. Students need to feel welcome and at home in a classroom. I also think it’s important to allow students to find out and shape themselves.

3. “If we allow ourselves to fall in love with what we do, we will be reborn countless times, almost always in a form stronger and more fully human than the one that preceded it…Second, we need to remove our protective armor and allow our students to shape us, reflecting on and learning from what we see,” (pg. 92). I love this quote from Tomlinson because the last part of it states that we, as teachers, should be open to learning from our students. I am so excited to learn from students. Teachers put expectations on students and students put expectations on teachers. I agree with this statement because, as we have talked in class with morning meetings, the teacher shouldn’t be the only one right all of the time.


An analogy that Tomlinson used from Michael London, that I LOVED, was that of bread. All students are going to be different in various amounts of ways. Each batch of bread, or loaf, is unique to itself and that the recipe can grow and adapt throughout time. I also thought of something that could go along with the bread analogy. I thought that once you put the ingredients in then it’s up to the ingredients to work together to make something worthwhile. If you are able to build a foundation in students, about learning, then they will be able to learn independently as the bread gets put into the oven, or as they go through school and other experiences.