The following quotes are taken from the class 12 folder on blackboard

Quote 1- "The choice is ours: form a global partnership to care for Earth and one another or risk the destruction of ourselves and the diversity of life. Fundamental changes are needed in our values, institutions, and ways of living. We must realize that when basic needs have been met, human development is primarily about being more, not having more."(earthcharterinaction.org)
I liked this quote because it talked about our global partnership to take care of the earth and one another.  We must make sure we care for our surroundings.  I particularly liked the end of this quote where it says that "human development is primarily about being more, not having more."  I can't begin to tell you how true this statement is.  Why do we need more when we can give more, not only to our earth, but to others.  People in our world are very selfish and are so needy.  Things need to change and can be done, but it will take some giving up of things in life.


Quote 2- "b. Empower every human being with the education and resources to secure a sustainable livelihood, and provide social security and safety nets for those who are unable to support themselves."(earthcharterinaction.org)
I liked how they stated the principles that are expected of our world.  This was one of my favorites because I can relate it to our class on the foundations of education.  It relates by providing equality and empowering every human being possible.  Create equality by providing resources necessary for a secure sustainable livelihood.  Help those in need and give up a portion of your livelihood to help others.  The main thing is to help those in need and create equality for all, especially in the form of a equal education.


Quote 3- "Our work as teacher is to give children a sense of place-to invite children to braid their identities together with the place where they live by calling their attention to the air, the sky, the cracks in the sidewalk where the earth busts out of its cement cage." (Pelo 2009)
I liked how Pelo talks about inviting our students to find their sense of place not only in society, but in the classroom as well.  I like how the author connects nature to how students should perceive a classroom.  Notice the little things and care for them, then you will "bust out of the cement cage" and become a high quality student.  But more importantly don't take things for granted and notice your surroundings because our surroundings shape ourselves.  They make us who we are and are what we come from.


Quote 4- "The more we know superficially, the less we penetrate, vertically.  It's all very well skimming across the surface of the ocean and saying you know all about the sea.  Underneath is everything we don't know and are afraid of knowing." (Pelo 2009)
I liked the analogy they used between knowing superficially and penetrating vertically to the sea and what lies beneath.  How are we supposed to know if we don't explore vertically?  How are we supposed to spark creativity in our students if we don't know anything about their interests.  We must know what "lies beneath" in order to bring out the best and go further in our lives.  This relates to teaching our students and knowing them and their surroundings.


Quote 5- "In our work with young children, our focus in gathering these stories is as much about the children's imaginings as it is about scientific facts.  We can invite their conjectures to complement the facts, opening the door to heartfelt connections." (Pelo 2009)
This is a great connection between children's imaginations and scientific facts.  We can support these imaginings to scientific facts.  This will allow for the backup of the thoughts and conjectures.  This creates heartfelt connections just like critical thinking and questioning on the CMTs.  By doing this, students can create their own thoughts and find out things about their thoughts and if they are true or not.  If they are false conjectures, they are still looking for these connections and applying themselves in and outside of the classroom.


Quote 6- "We're often encouraged to see the earth as landscape, which is scenery-something to look at, but not to participate in.  But when we collapse the distance between the land and ourselves and allow ourselves to become part of the story of a place, we give ourselves over to intimacy.  This can be our work with young children-weaving them into the story of the place where they live." (Pelo 2009)
This quote reminded me of painting a picture in your readers mind when reading.  But more importantly,  we must make students aware of their surroundings and setting in which they live in.  Living here in New England, we have the best of all worlds.  We get four seasons with a vast difference in weather throughout the year.  An example of making students aware of their environment is to do lessons on the seasons and show new students to the area what the seasons are all about.  Students need to know where they come from before they can go further in life!