We also talked today about teachers trying to go against the norms and making a difference, trying to change the system. I think it is definitely something difficult to do especially if you're the only teacher in your school trying to do it, but it's possible. We talked about the "loser classes" having teachers teach them like normal students which allows them to be successful. I don't think it is right at any point to give up on a student and teach them less, give them less opportunity, because they are seen as hopeless. Perhaps the right teacher hasn't been able to motivate them, they aren't being taught in their preferred learning style, or they never get to learn about things that interest them. If one teacher can change these things for those students, a whole new world can be opened up to them.
For my PSIII I am going to be teaching a grade 5/6 class where the students' reading abilities range from a grade 1-9 level. Am I going to give up on the students who are below level and give them ridiculously simple materials to read because they shouldn't be helped and pushed to learn? Absolutely not. I am going to help these students reach their full potential and try and help them grow as much as they can in the time that I am with them.
I hope after talking about this in class that we all go out there with really positive attitudes and don't take the easy way out of not helping, challenging, or caring for the students who need more help than others. If I was one of those students I would definitely want the help but maybe wouldn't be brave enough to say it out loud to the teacher. So we need to keep our eyes open, get to know our students, and do the best we can to help then learn, grow, and achieve!
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I completely agree! I enjoyed the story that Robert told today. I think it is interesting that firstly, no one thought these students could succeed, but when put to the challenge, an amazing and dedicated teacher is able to help these students. These students not only learned the material, but they found self confidence in themselves. They realized that they are not failures and that they are capable of more. I loved that after their self-realization, they were eager to learn. That is an amazing story. Honestly, a lot of it is the way that we teach these students. If we think they can succeed and put all of our effort into helping them, they will give us the same amount of effort back.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your PSIII. That is quite the range of reading abilities, but it is still possible! Take that time with them and let all of them know that they can do it!
One of my friends is a student-teacher currently doing his PS3 in a country that doesn't value education as much as we do. He is struggling to motivate the students to do any work and to really learn what he is trying to teach. I remember one day he said he was basically ready to throw the lesson out the window and then an idea of gambling hit him. He was teaching some math concept that somehow relates to gambling (I am not a math person so I don't know what this concept is) and the kids just ate it up. They kept asking questions and making sure they were doing it right. He figured that it wasn't the best to get the students thinking or talking about gambling, but it was the math concept that they needed to learn.
ReplyDeleteI really think the issue with most "loser" classes is that the teacher has not necessarily found the right connection for that student. Now sometimes it could be very hard for the teacher to make all these specific connections for each and every single student but as long as we are doing our best I don't think we are to blame.