Teach Like Your Hair’s On Fire: Chapters 1 and 2

I'm currently reading Teach Like Your Hair’s On Fire, and I love it so far! I thought I would post weekly summaries of each chapter or two, like a little book club with myself! I'm highlighting quotes that are meaningful to me, as well, so I'll probably compile those after I finish the book. It has many great ideas that I'd like to refer back to later.

Teach Like Your Hair’s On Fire: Chapters 1 and 2

In the first two chapters of Rafe Esquith’s book, Teach Like Your Hair’s On Fire, he discusses providing children with a safe haven, where they feel comfortable, trusted and trusting, and able to learn, grow, and better themselves.

He explains how most classrooms today are run by fear, on both the part of the teacher, and the students. The teacher fears losing control, while the students mostly fear getting in trouble or looking foolish. Rafe acknowledges that this is an easy trap to fall into, especially for new teachers, but suggests an alternative: running a classroom based on trust.

The best way to do this, he asserts, is to tell the children on the first day that your classroom is one based on trust instead of fear, and then to show them this is true through all you do. The best ways to do this are to show that you’re never frustrated by their questions, be dependable, only discipline in logical ways, and be a good role model.

He goes into more detail, explaining that a child will trust you if he or she feels you are on her side. She needs to know she can ask questions without fear of ridicule. She needs to be able to count on you to do mean what you say and follow through. She needs to know she will be disciplined, but only in ways that are fair and relevant. And, perhaps most importantly, she must be able to look to you as a role model.

Rafe also discusses the Six Levels of Moral Development, and how he uses them in his classroom. He begins each year by explaining to his class what they are (not wanting to get in trouble, wanting a reward, wanting to please somebody, following the rules, being considerate of others, and having a personal code of behavior) and then, throughout the year, teaches by example (his own and through film and literature) how to reach the 5^th level, or in some cases, even the 6^th level.