Wax On, Wax Off

We are all familiar with the scene, right? This is what Buehl referred to as the Mentor-Apprentice Model. Daniel is tested in several areas, he just wants to learn to fight. Mr. Miagi has the awesome responsibility to teach Daniel discipline. That is what teaching reading in the content area means to me. No matter what subject is your core subject - we are connecting students to deeper knowledge. We are teaching them to wax the car, paint the fence, sand the floor, catch the fly, paint the house. We are giving them the tools to use no matter what class they are in, all the strategies are the disciplines. There will be students who feel they don't need it, I hear at least once a day - Man, this is stupid, when will I ever use this...in Daniel's case - he felt he was Miagi's personal slave until it was time to put all that practice to work. This is when Daniel learned the value of all those lessons. This is when Daniel calmed down. This is when he began to focus. Mr. Miagi even says - Focus Daniel Son. THEN the value was added, eventually all those strategies led him to the ultimate victory. What does advanced look like? How will you scaffold to get every student there? Readers are leaders and Writers are Igniters --- so inspire, teach, mentor, lead....you are changing the world one student at a time. I, Stacy Waldmann, do solemnly swear to teach reading and writing in my Special Education classroom now and my classroom in the future. I hope to inspire, I hope to find the hook that tethers those "at-risk" students so that I can be like Mr. Miagi in the end, smile and know that I played a significant role in the life of a struggling student.