Examples of motivational statements:

She concludes with a powerful call to action for educators to make a difference:

"Every child deserves a champion, an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection, and insists that they become the best that they can possibly be."

The speaker draws from her own experiences as an educator, including working in classrooms and watching her mother (also a teacher) engage with students. This firsthand experience helps her relate to the audience and demonstrates the value of relationships in teaching. For example, she recalls how her mother took time to support students by providing food and hygiene items when needed.

Quotes from Experts:

She references quotes from well-known figures to support her points. For instance, she quotes James Comer, who says, "No significant learning can occur without a significant relationship," and George Washington Carver, who says, "All learning is understanding relationships." These quotes lend authority to her argument about the importance of relationships in learning.

Anecdotes:

The speaker shares anecdotes about her interactions with students to emphasize the impact of teacher-student relationships. For example, she recounts an incident where she apologized to her students for a mistake in a lesson on ratios, and the students responded positively, showing that they valued her humility and connection.

Humor and Dialogue:

The speaker uses humor and lighthearted dialogue to make her points relatable. An example is when she describes how she told her students they were "the best students" because they were chosen to be in her class, which was framed as a motivational and fun approach to boosting their self-esteem.

Examples of Teacher Actions:

She mentions specific actions that teachers can take to build relationships with students. For instance, she describes how her mother would visit students' homes, and she gives examples of small gestures like apologizing when teachers make mistakes, which can help build rapport and trust with students.

Student Testimonials:

The speaker reflects on how former students came to appreciate her mother's impact on their lives. This highlights the long-term effects of teacher-student relationships. She also mentions how her mother’s former students expressed gratitude for the difference she made in their lives, which reinforces the idea that meaningful connections leave a lasting legacy.

Metaphors and Positive Reinforcement:

The speaker uses metaphors to explain her ideas. For example, when discussing the grading of students' work, she gives an example of a student who missed 18 questions on a quiz but received a "+2" on the paper and a smiley face. She explains that the "+2" represented a positive reinforcement, helping the student see that they were capable of improvement, thus building their self-esteem.

These supporting materials—personal stories, quotes, humor, anecdotes, and testimonials—help convey the message that human connection and relationships are essential for learning and success in education.

quote from Stephen Covey: you ought to just throw in a few simple things like seeking fisrt to understand as opposed to being understood

She talk about herself: she apologized her student

Supporting Materals: Quote, example, story and jokes.

Key Ideas from the Topic:

-        the value and importance of human connection, relationships

-        Teacher had a chance to look at education reform from a lot of perspectives: those reforms have been good, some of them have been not so good. Why kids drop out, why kids don't learn, It's either poverty, low attendance, negative peer influences

How do I raise the self esteem of a child and his academic achievement at the same time?

• What is it? Rita Pierson shares real-life stories from her teaching career to explain her ideas.

• Why does she use them? These stories make her talk more interesting and help the audience connect with her experiences.

• Examples:

“They don’t pay me to like the kids,” and her response: “Kids don’t learn from people they don’t like.”

2. Humor

• What is it? Rita uses jokes and funny moments to keep the audience interested.

• Why does she use it? Humor makes her talk enjoyable and helps people remember her message.

• Examples:

“You didn’t miss them all!”

3. Emotional Appeal (Feelings)

• What is it? Rita speaks in a way that touches the audience’s hearts. She talks about the struggles and joys of teaching, which many people can understand.

• Why does she use it? Emotions help her audience feel the importance of caring for students.

• Examples:

“Every child deserves a champion—an adult who will never give up on them.”

4. Professional Experience

• What is it? Rita talks about her own years of teaching and learning from other teachers.

• Why does she use it? Her experience shows she knows what she’s talking about. It makes her ideas believable.

• Examples:

• She explains that relationships are the key to helping kids learn better.

• She shares how she has seen students improve when they feel their teachers care about them.