# data[].attributes.body
“You and your classmates will have about two months to prepare. Then, when the day comes, you’ll ride a school bus to an actual courtroom and conduct the trial in front of a jury made up of Hillsdale teachers and alumni. A gallery full of your peers and parents will watch the action.”

# data[].attributes.body
Something that really resonated with me in this chapter was not the exact moment itself, but all the work that went into creating the moment. There were so many moving parts to this, and it would have fallen apart if any of the people involved failed to put in the proper work. It's a reminder that the process in building up to the moment is just as important as the moment itself.

# data[].attributes.body
"While in some places, such as India and Beijing, the experience has been adopted enthusiastically, in others it has been ignored altogether. Why? It’s no one’s job, and it’s a hassle, and there’s always something happening that seems more urgent.”

# data[].attributes.body
This quote really stuck out to me as the idea of something being nobodies specific job, so it doesn't get done is really the core of what we're trying to fix in this class. Being a teacher leader is about stepping up into a role even though it isn't one of the duties specifically assigned to you. The more teachers start stepping up into these roles for either each other or the students, we will see the culture shift that schools need.

# data[].attributes.body
One of our most popular exercises was what we called “Saturday Surprise.” The instructions were incredibly simple: Break the script on your Saturday routines.

# data[].attributes.body
This is part of the bigger concept of "breaking the script", but I feel like this really encapsulates what I think breaking the script should look like in the classroom. Routine is extremely important within the classroom. Having a specific day of the week where students know they will be doing something completely different is a way to get a good balance of the importance of routine while still keeping the class experience fresh.

# data[].attributes.body
Of all the ways we can create moments of pride for others, the simplest is to offer them recognition

# data[].attributes.body
Throughout all the classes I've taken on education, the one that influenced me the most was where we read "Teach Like a Champ". One of the 'techniques' that it prescribed was positive precise praise. It's the same as this passage is describing. Teachers should point out specific things students do that are worthy of praise, and they should do this both in public and private. While there are a whole host of reasons to do this, one is to boost the confidence of the student and make them excited to be at school.

# data[].attributes.body
Destination: Be able to have full, normal conversations in Spanish with Fernando in accounting (not just “Cómo está usted?”)

# data[].attributes.body
This chapter is all about goals and the ways we design to work towards those goals. The first thing that this makes me think of is backwards design in curriculum, learning segments, and daily lesson plans. Determining what we want our actual final end product to look like then creating steps from there is important in how we go about our work as teachers, but also it's important for the students in setting objectives as well. Students will be much more motivated if we show them what they're going to be doing eventually and the steps to get there.

# data[].attributes.body
One couple we know kept an anniversary journal for the first decade of their marriage. Every year they would record the things they accomplished: Redecorating the back bedroom, hosting extended family for Thanksgiving dinner, and so on. They’d also record the trips they took, and the friends they saw most frequently, and, amazingly, what they fought about!

# data[].attributes.body
So far, this is the moment which has stuck out the most to me. It got me thinking, as a student, how cool would it be for one random day in the middle of the semester or school year you walk into class and there's a slideshow or a photo journal that the class looks through of their lives throughout the year. Maybe each student has a photo on their desk of something they've accomplished throughout the school year and on the back the teacher has written a short note of growth or a fun memory they have. You talk about creating peaks, I think this would create a peak and show that the teacher really does care about you and that you're not just a random student in their class.

# data[].attributes.body
Managing fear—the goal of exposure therapy—is a critical part of courage.

# data[].attributes.body
While there are as many fears as there are students, one of the most universal fears is public speaking. Students are afraid of messing up in front of everyone or just sounding dumb. However, being able to speak and present in front of groups is an extremely important skill that needs to be developed. Teachers should not expect that if they just make students do it over and over again that they'll improve and start enjoying it. One bad moment can create a serious valley that students never overcome. However, if teachers scaffold these opportunities and provide exposure therapy over the course of a year, then their students will be much more likely to be comfortable and even enjoy public speaking by the end of the school year.

# data[].attributes.body
The good news is that if even one person is brave enough to defy the majority, we are emboldened.

# data[].attributes.body
Like I mentioned in the last moment, students are often quite fearful. However, they are not equally fearful. Teachers should recognize which students are confident in what aspects, and they should call on those students and allow them to display bravery in tough situations. This will help the more fearful students know that they will be okay even if they mess up.

# data[].attributes.body
Usually, when the school came calling, there was a form to fill out, or a discipline problem to talk about, or a request for volunteer time.

# data[].attributes.body
One of the best pieces of advice I've received was from one of my professors senior year talking about how they communicated with parents. This was a professor who had spent a long time working with students with disabilities, and they said that they started off the year emailing each parent talking about how excited they were to have their student that upcoming school year. Then, throughout the year, they'd email parents out of the blue with something good about their child. This really helped the parents to buy-in as they were so used to hearing how their children were a burdens, difficult, or always in trouble. It made it seem as if the teacher didn't like the child because they only heard bad news. Hearing the good news made the parents much more receptive to teacher feedback and open to working with the teacher.

# data[].attributes.body
I agree with just about every lesson that this book tries to teach. Within each chapter there was a moment which I could clearly see myself bringing that concept into the classroom. I also agree with the premise of the book that, when people reflect back upon an experience, there usually is one or two strong images they go to. That being said, I have one issue with the book which is simply that I never felt like there was anything revolutionary being said. Each chapter had a really simply concept that I feel as though most people had heard before. I do think though that some of the examples in the chapter were neat and had something I could bring into my own classrooms. For example, I thought the idea of keeping the journal of all your thoughts, feelings, and events could be brought into the classroom in an interesting way. For every journal though, there was a John Deere first day story saying that "first impressions matter".

# data[].attributes.body
A bit of attention and energy can transform an ordinary moment into an extraordinary one.

# data[].attributes.body
To me, this quote sums up the entirety of the book. I think a lot of people see these moments as these singular great big moments which trump everything, however, I think it is more the culmination of these small, simple acts of care which create the powerful moments. Times when we send a positive note home to parents, make our project just a little grander, or be there for a student who needs advice are the ones that will be remembered long after everything else is forgotten.

# data[].attributes.body
If we want more moments of connection, we need to be more responsive to others.

# data[].attributes.body
Waiting is one of the most annoying things that we have to do consistently. Whether that's waiting in line for the bathroom, waiting for spectrum to connect your internet, or waiting to get an email back from your teacher, it is rarely an enjoyable experience. In all of those cases, we feel like we're just a nameless member of a herd of people. Nobody in the line cares about us, and the cashier checking us out definitely does not care about us. It's the same for students. If we make our students wait for feedback, grades, or help with an issue, they are going to think we do not care about them. It's important to figure out a system for getting back to students quickly, but also letting them know what hours you are busy and won't be responding to student questions.