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"Whenever you introduce something new to your students, YOU have to sell it." - page 135. I think this is what stood out to me the most.  In order to get our students excited about learning we have to get them interested; we have to have an attention grabber.  I think I often get lost in doing this with our scripted manuals.  I always seem to be more creative during our "review weeks" because I know that I have the freedom to teach any way I want.  For example, this week is review week in writing. Instead of reviewing poetry in writing, I jumped ahead into opinion pieces. I introduced it by reading The Three Little Pigs and The True Story of The Three Little Pigs.  Then my students have to form an opinion on who they believe, the pigs or the wolf.  Together we listed reasons why some believed the wolf and some believed the pigs.  It was amazing to hear my students still discussing and debating it through lunch. I engaged in the conversations with them, asking questions to the reasons on both sides. I love to see them truly curious and excited about school, and I think the more we engage our students in activities that are fun the better learners they will become. -Jennifer Williams

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This book and its philosophy is amazing and speaks directly to my heart!  There are so many  nuggets of truth  embedded in each chapter.  I guess the ultimate thing that stood out was found on page 13, "Our students are the heart of it all."  BAM!  MIC DROP!!  Too many times we get sucked into the mundane and routine that we forget WHY we are even  doing what we are called to do. Not listening to the joker is vital in this department-whether it is the self talk or coming from our peers--it's not about "me".  The Wild Card doesn't have to be a production, but a mindset and attitude.  By CHOOSING to see it from the students' eyes  I believe our lessons will be changed.

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What spoke to me was the quote that essentially, childhood is one randomly dealt hand that can influence everything else in life.  Many of us had education instilled into us at a young age and knew what was expected of us.  There are great stories of how a teacher inspired a student to overcome their obstacles in life.  It didn't happen haphazardly!  It takes making mistakes, falling on your face and vowing to never teach something a certain way again.  It all comes from courage to be that Wild Card!-Russell

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The part that suck out to me was when they talked about " breathing life into the curriculum". We do have a scripted curriculum and it's easy to fall into that routine. I need add a little creativity to the scripted lessons that we do have.- Surwic

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Several parts of the book stood out to me .
Probably my favorite is when they talk about creativity and making the classroom an adventure, so every child can be exited about school regardless of their personal situations. When I was younger I was obsessed with Power Rangers , so If I had a teacher that used Power Rangers to teach I would have been so excited! I agree with Mrs. Cole about making learning fun! I also got so excited when my teachers would teach us in creative ways!   Rachel Ward

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The thing that stuck out to me most was speaking on the demographics of their first school. It sounded so incredibly close to what we experience here at HLES. Its a struggle daily with our students due to most of their home lives and the lack of care, attention and involvement at home. We as teachers preform so many roles for our students every day counselor, nurse, teacher, shoulder to cry on... the list goes on and on. Its important to remind myself that these children are more than just where and who they come from. They all have the potential to be the most important person in the world and it all starts in my classroom!- Davis

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There were two things that stood out for me. The first is the following statement: Children don't have control over their daily lives and the dynamics of "nature" and "nurture" that shape their early experiences. The second thing that stood out was that we as teachers have the power to create eagerness for our students to come to school. We don't know what goes on with our students once they leave this building, but we can be their Wild Card! We can show them daily that we love them and think of creative ways to present lessons in the classroom. This will not only have our students eager to come to school, but we will also be eager to give them our best! Mrs. Bentley, I definitely agree with you! I also need to step out of my comfort zone!!- K. Booth

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I connected with the idea of not letting the Joker turn your mistakes or bloopers against you.  Stepping out of my comfort zone and trying a new teaching strategy always makes me nervous.  However learning from my mistakes and making improvements for the next time keeps me excited about teaching.-Bentley

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For once a book speaks to what we see at HLES! As a teacher and a mom, it is hard to see these kids come to school day after day without basic needs being taken care of. I know I need to be those kids wild card! It is so easy to use it as an excuse and shrug your shoulders. Then the mommy in me kicks in and remembers, i wouldn't want someone to treat my child that way or not help out if i couldn't provide some basic needs for them. These chapters have made me pause and think about what i can do to better my kids learning experience in the classroom. so, that they have a positive place to come even if it is only Monday-Friday. I strive to be the one they look forward to seeing after getting off the bus each morning!-Hutchins

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I appreciate the idea that "Creativity is a Personal Brand."  We can admire another teacher's creativity or methods but find it uncomfortable and even impossible to emulate.  We have to celebrate our own interests and share those with our students through engaging lessons.  In this way, we connect with students as we teach; that's a key component of being effective.  I also found confidence in the way they said get through the scripted lesson quickly and move on to more engaging things.  Balancing the have-to's and the want-to's has been difficult for me this year, and I hope to find a better balance next year. --FRYE

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The statement that stuck out to me the most was on the next to the last page.  It says, "In order to do something well, we must first be willing to do it badly."  This resonates with me so much because even if we mess up and make a complete fool of ourselves, at least we were willing to try.  At least we were willing to experiment and see if something worked.  I want to take advantage of these opportunities in the future and step out of my comfort zone, not because of the other teachers but because of my students and proving folks wrong when they have a preconceived idea of my student's abilities.  --Fiveash

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I see engagement as the key word in our text. This can come in many ways. If we focus on "creativety ", it gets downright scary. All we are being asked to do is create an environment that will inspire within our students a desire to want to know more. Oh yea, this requires more than we are doing now. We will have to reinvent ourselves in many ways. The Joker will have a lot to say. I believe that we must help and encourage each other during those times. If you do not possess the confidence yet, work cooperatively until you feel that comfort zone. Together we are strong.
D. Sikes

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As Emily Smith recently posted on Facebook:
Tell me and I forget, Teach me and I remember, Involve me and I learn!!!  That phrase is exactly what has spoken to me throughout these first few chapters.

I truly believe that the students at HLES are excited to come to school and see his/her teacher every day. However, I feel like it is challenging in keeping each one of them engaged in learning throughout the day.  I agree with this statement from the book:  “We want you to create not just lessons, but learning experiences and memorable moments for your students, which is how we define engagement.”

I have been teaching for over 20 years in DeSoto County, and I am still striving for improvement. I am looking forward in implementing creativity into my lessons.  I am ready to take my students to the next level.  In doing so, I will be uplifting and shaping my students in becoming lifelong learners.
Cindy Spivey

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“There is a good reason that comparison is said to be the thief of joy and the enemy of authenticity. “ This stood out at first to me because it is so true! The transition to second grade was hard at first to me because I was comparing my students to everyone else and myself to other teachers. I would get in my own head and ask why aren’t my students getting this and how does everyone else make this look so easy. I was stealing my own joy for teaching and didn’t even realize it. Emily even had to tell me to STOP like 2 weeks ago. I was comparing myself with her and trying to figure out what I was doing wrong. So that really stuck out early in the reading. I also can get into this reading because it’s real! These teachers have been where we are and have been dealt the same cards! So if they can do it so can we.
Ashley Chunn

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These chapters really make you reevaluate all the excuses and whys or why nots you give when you fail to be the best teacher you can be. There are many days I have used the excuse that I didn't have enough money to afford things to make lessons cool, or I didn't have time to transform my classroom. The book makes you step back and really think that for some students you are there only hope for being engaging and making them LOVE learning. Without that "wild card" the child will begin hating school more and more every year. I also agree with McCullough, when you read this book I feel like we have many student's in the same situations and it really helps to be able to relate. _Powell

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Deanna Cole- These chapters made me really reflect on the teachers that I had growing up. I thought about which teachers were my favorite and why. Of course, the ones that I loved were so creative and made learning fun...for EVERYONE. Judy Allison was my High School Personal Finance teacher and she used MONOPOLY in order to teach us how to keep a running record of our money. It was amazing and so creative. I still remember the times I had in her class to this day. She made such a huge impact on me.  It made me think about HOW I teach everyday and what I could do to better engage ALL students....and most importantly made learning in my classroom FUN!!

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Kelly Sumners
Being more creative with students will encourage them to be more engaged in the classroom. Even though we have students who have difficulties at home and less than ideal circumstances we can still reach out to them. Having a creative breakthrough with the students that come to our room every day will make a big academic difference in their lives and set their expectations of what learning should be. Since I teach kindergarten this really spoke to me. Having these students for their first year, I should really be setting their educational career up and their love for learning. Having a scripted curriculum shouldn't be an excuse for not being creative. We can "all draw own our own personal brand of dramatic flair to choose voice inflections, facial expressions, and hand gestures while delivering those lines." As  a result of being creative and encouraging engagement we could really improve our school, involvement, lives, and results.

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In these first three chapters there was many things that stood out to me.  Through reading these chapters I realized if I wanted to have a creative breakthrough, I was going to have to be willing to step out of my comfort zone.  We do not need to listen to the Joker in our head. Sometimes lessons will not go the way as planned, but those lessons will help me grow as a teacher.    --Reese

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Angela Rhea-  I have experienced so many things that are typed into the pages of this book.  I see the influence that I have on my student's lives.  I like to be creative, but always feel like time is in short supply.  I am a reflective practitioner that has a growth mindset.  I need to have a creative breakthrough.  "The universe buries strange jewels within us all and then stands back to see if we can find them."  I am working to uncover those 'jewels.'

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Brandi Mowry---I realize that I need to do a better job at making my lessons creative.  I can tell that my students aren't engaged in  a lot of my whole group mini lessons.  I need to " breathe life into the curriculum". I want to be that wild card teacher!  I want my students to want to come back to school because they are excited to learn!  I admit that I use the excuse "not enough time" often.

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Jennifer Williams                                                                                                                                                                     "Memorable experiences- good or bad- really do stick with kids forever." - Wade King  I think this is the part that stuck out to me the most.  I can relate with him in a lot of ways, and I also relate with my students in a lot of ways due to them going through a lot of the same things I experienced as a child.  During my four years of teaching, I have always been able to handle behavioral students pretty well because I know and understand the life that they are living and faced with daily outside of school.   It is those students who I feel like need me the most, and most times, it is those exact same students that I see the most growth in.  It may not always be academic growth in them that I see the most of, but I can look at them and know that I have made a difference in their life.  Because of that alone, I it makes teaching well worth it.  Another thing that stuck out to me was finding a creative breakthrough while having a scripted curriculum.  I am interested in learning methods on how to do this, so I  agree with Word.

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High,  The part that spoke to me the most is when they were talking about how the author was reflecting about real like being like the game of Monopoly.  Everyone starts at an even place, and collects $200 every time they pass go.  I agree that life is more like Poker that you have to work with the hand that you are dealt.

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I appreciate the author had similar experiences as we do here. We can see children through the hand they're dealt, instead as a fresh slate. It is helpful to know their background and support, but we cannot let it kill our creativity or make our goals different. The section about not listening to the joker inside of you really made me think. It is hard to stand in front of a class and take risks and be vulnerable, BUT that it what we are asking our students to do when they are learning. We should be an example for them. ---Brown

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What stood out to me the most was having a creative breakthrough.  Since we have scripted programs it is very easy to get stuck in the repetition, and if I am comfortable then I'm no longer growing or improving.  I'm excited to continue reading the next chapters of this book because I am ready to start my creative breakthrough! -Word

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The section that spoke to me was "Don't listen to the Joker"..It is so hard for some of us "experienced" teachers to let self doubt creep in and believe that we just can't pull off something creative . I have to ignore that little voice and step out of my comfort zone more. Yes, the students may laugh but join in with them and laugh right  along with them. As long as the content is being taught and they are learning, it's all good!....Seale

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Mansell - The part that spoke to me was "We chose not to see those kids as the sum of their clothes, houses, and parents' incomes.  Instead, we saw them as individuals with untapped potential we could unlock."  Often we only look at what the children have stacked against them already.  We have to remember it is our job to take the children where they are and help them to get to where they need to be to succeed.  We do have to do things to engage the students so they become excited about learning.  If the students can see that learning can be exciting then they will get involved which will help them to learn.  We truly are the "Wild Card" - the only thing that can change to help the students.

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What stood out to me the most is the fact that I felt like I WAS READING ABOUT OUR STUDENTS.  On page 20, I loved the part that said, "Once we were able to boost student engagement, the test scores and attendance records rose as well- which meant the abilities or socioeconomic status of our kids was never the "excuse" for their performance."  WOW!!!!! All of the cards that the Pedleton Elementary students were dealt are some of the same cards that our kids are playing.  I couldn't help but think that if we engaged our students BETTER than those increased test scored will follow. We have to be their wild card. - Lynley McCullough

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What stood out to me the most was the fact that I, as a classroom teacher, have the ability to engage my students and make learning fun and a positive experience.   If I am willing to try different ways to engage my students than I can am more likely going to reach those students who struggle academically.   I can still teach the standards but the way I deliver the standards is what drives my students’ engagement. I don’t need to fear the mistakes that I may make but to embrace those mistakes and grow from them. I have the ability to “shape either life- long learners or students who feel that learning is a chore rather than an opportunity.”

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Share at least one idea that spoke to you and comment on someone else's idea.