Marilyn Cochran-Smith - Teachers Make a Difference - Mrs. Weathers

The speaker recounts their experience moving to a new school in 6th grade and being in Mrs. Weather's homeroom. Mrs. Weathers read adolescent novels to the class, which was organized by ability for other subjects. The speaker later realized that Mrs. Weathers aimed to make students better people by providing shared experiences and exposure to broader worlds. The speaker adopted this practice in their own teaching, hoping for similar positive outcomes.

What was the main challenge the narrator faced when moving to a new school?

• Learning a new language

• Starting junior high school

• Making new friends

• Adjusting to a new climate

How were the students at Cook School organized for reading and math instruction?

• Randomly

• Alphabetically

• By ability level

• By age

What was unique about Mrs. Weather's reading style?

• She engaged with the characters

• She was melodramatic

• She used funny voices

• She read very quickly

What was the primary purpose of Mrs. Weather's reading sessions?

• To prepare students for exams

• To entertain the students

• To improve students' reading skills

• To make students better people

How did the narrator apply Mrs. Weather's teaching method in their own career?

• By using funny voices

• By organizing students by ability

• By reading to students every day

• By focusing on math instruction