THE RON CLARK STORY 

     While I was watching this movie, I actually admired the way followed by Ron Clark because he doesn’t give up whatever students do. He undertakes all responsibilities of the worst class in the school that nobody wants to give a lecture. Professionally he accomplishes what he aims.

        Mr. Clark initially tries to recognize his students. In order to learn learners’ general characteristics such as social problems, ethnic groups, socio-economic level, their home environment and family relationships, he visits their homes and becomes acquainted with each family one by one under unexpected circumstance. For example, when he goes to his student Julio’s house, he learns that Julio was born when his mother was just fourteen years old. It seems to me that this situation is amazing. I can’t image how such a young girl as Julio’s mother brings up his children. Besides, Mr. Clark witnesses that Julio steals money from mother’s bag while she is talking to Mr. Clark. Although Mr. Clark is aware of this, he doesn’t say anything. If I were him, I could have reacted reluctantly.Under these circumstances he maintains to visit students’ house. Even after he identifies and analyzes his students, he helps them more than necessary. For instance, so that his student Shameika can do her homework herself, he goes her house and looks after her siblings and also makes meal for them. So that his student Julio can improve his math skill, he meets him in the café and plays card games because Julio can easily understand the numbers by playing card games and he can reply immediately the questions about number which Mr. Clark asks while they are playing.

     Secondly, once he knows his students, he begins writing objectives of his lesson. He already determines some objectives in class. For example, he says that they are a family, they should trust and respect each other and they should call Mr. Clark by saying ‘Sir’. He writes these rules on the phosphorescent papers hugely. For example, Mr. Clark determines as objectives that they are going to learn all forty two presidents of US in order. But he discovers from exam grades that his students couldn’t understand verbally. Then he changes his methods and materials, selects music and CD. Player as materials. He creates a composition including forty two presidents of US. As a result of this practice of these materials, all students learn presidents wondrously and they get high marks in exam.

    When Mr. Clark is ill, he don’t give up lessons. His girl friend is recording him with a camera while he is giving lecture for his students in his home. Then he sends the DVD to class and students watch his DVD through the TV and DVD player during the two weeks without existence of their teacher in classroom. Hence, students don’t remain deficiency from any topics.

     Mr. Clark is aware of necessity of learner participation for learning so he makes students active during lesson by discussions, questions and answers, hand-on activities. He gives opportunities them to participate in lesson. He doesn’t lecture for an entire course hours in order to avoid monotony. He shows his confidence to students and he motivates them all the time. Even at the beginning of the movie, he talks a child embarked from the lesson because of his incomprehension in class and in order to prove his ability to understand something he asks child’s name then says himself and then he asks him what Mr. Clark’ s name is. Student answers him by saying ‘Jon Clark’. Thus Mr. Clark shows child that he has the ability to learn.

    Finally,as I said at the beginning of my reflection text, I admire Mr. Clark theory, because I want to be a teacher as him. I can cope with students like them but not as patiently as he does. When I am teacher, I will meet my students’ family and I will get to know their environment and situation. I think that is beneficial. When I am teacher, firstly I state my objectives after I analyze my students. For example, I say what we will do this semester and at the end of the semester what they will learn. According to my students’ characteristics and learning styles, I suppose that I will use visual, musical material in order to be enjoyable and attractive.I will always converse with my students in the classroom. I try to include them into lesson. If my instructional strategies haven’t got students interesting in participation or the strategy is difficult for me to manage, I will revise method of assessment or I supply enough time for students to master the objectives. One more thing I like in the film is that Clark plays with his students and in this way he is getting to them. He deals with not only students’ achievement but also their troubles. Even he takes care of them and he knows their all characteristic and special feature more than parents do.

An amazing story about real person.


 This video is capable of telling a whole story efficiently. It is getting more emotional because of the background music and the scenes which are chosen meticulously and also Ron Clark's struggle. Although I had already watched this movie twice, I also this video tirelessly whenever I log in my blog. At every turn, I put myself in Ron Clark's shoes and so I understand in every time that duties of a teacher should not be underestimated. As most of us know, when we say that we will become a teacher after we graduate from the university, some people ask to us why we will have a better profession than schoolmastering. Yet I suspect sometimes that those people may be illiterate. They are not aware of the holliness of this profession. No matter what those people say, I will become a great teacher like Ron Clark;)