Chapter 4, Building Bridges Summary and Analysis

An important skill for any teacher to learn is how to build bridges with students and how to connect with them. To learn about children adn to understand their capacity for growth, requires getting to know students, which in turn requires building bridges. He illustrates this point through the example of the development of a connection between Zayd and Ayers's wife Bernardine.

Several months before their connection began to develop, Zayd had made three commitments to create something characteristic of his Native American tribe. The commitments led to intense journeys. During the building of his native crafts, he made new discoveries about himself and decided that instead of having a birthday party, he would go on a spiritual quest. This deeply moved Ayers. He and his wife had helped Zayd to have a positive view of becoming...