Nothing happens in a vacuum. This can draw on the idea of rigidity in schools, English classes specifically, and when teachers are adamant about a right or wrong interpretation of a certain text/idea. Everything about us influences the conclusions that we draw, so why wouldn't we choose to actively nurture that in our classrooms?

engagement = understanding = learning

This touches on various modes of learning, and learning styles. Give students a multi-faceted view, and a multi-dimensional toolbox of how to express those feelings and observations

We're discussing this a lot in my other Education course this semester (ED411). The classroom space should have deliberate choices that make a student (or anyone) who enters understand immediately the point of them being there.

Back to social-emotional learning for a second: crafting a healthy ability to communicate with others is, perhaps, the most important takeaway from English and language arts courses.

This reminds me of a great TED Talk by Sir Ken Robinson where he talks about how the students we teach today will retire in over 40 years, and over that time we can't possibly imagine the world they will have lived and worked in. Therefore, it is more important to teach social/emotional skills because they are more transferable and relevant than anything else.

"The teachers wrote and talked about the physical differences in these various locations..." Not only is it important to have these differing perspectives and modes of communicating physical spaces in a classroom, but its important to share those experiences. School is a collected space where people from different backgrounds can come together to share and learn together. Encouraging the sharing of these backgrounds, from students AND teachers can craft a multicultural and beautiful space for learning.

"Because the teachers in my course do not identify themselves as writers..." This is very closely related to the notion that "I think, therefore I am." If we can nurture that self identifying mind set in our classrooms, writing wise or other, in order to close the gap between our students and their goals I think that would greatly benefit in school engagement and out of school success.

Give students the opportunity to find themselves in their learning.

The exact opposite is the reason that many people by the time they reach the secondary level are so disillusioned by the prospect of reading.

When we stress the importance of experiences outside the classroom to bring back into it, we literally mean to experience it. There is a certain level of active engagement on the part of the instructor that is crucial in order to be able to process that experience.

This ties back into the importance of social/emotional learning in schools. Learning how to empathize and understand one another, as well as know whats going on outside of the classroom is crucial in "preparing our students for the real world."

This is the correct way of "evening the playing field" as is described earlier. We can better empathize and understand each other if we are introduced to who each other actually are.

This is a brilliant way to bridge the gap between what we learn in the classroom and "what we can use in real life."

This reminds me of a great quote (though I can't quite put a finger on who said it) "no learning happens in a vacuum." Everything around us influences how we interpret things, they should not be entirely left out.