In this course I'd like to learn all the effective ways of teaching language arts to elementary education students. As of right now, I do not have a lot of knowledge in this area, so I think this course will be extremely helpful. I'd also like to learn the main areas that students struggle with in language arts and how I can help students be successful in these troublesome areas. Lastly, I'd like to learn any classroom management techniques that could correlate specifically with language arts.
-After completing my first semester of placement this year, I think I'd really like to teach in a low income school. I've seen the huge, positive impact a teacher can have on these students and would love to be able to do that myself. Not only do students look up to my mentor teacher as a guide for their learning, but they also look up to her as a friend who will support them no matter what.
-I'd like to learn everything about literacy instruction! Most importantly, I'd like to learn the most effective strategies in teaching language arts. To elaborate, I do not want to take the "easy way out" when becoming a teacher. I feel many teachers now-a-days simply do what they believe is the least time-consuming with their students and I'd like to change that trend. I'd like my students to be actively learning as much as possible in my classroom.
-The Jigsaw Articles helped me in many ways. For example, the article by Hettinger and Knapp discussed how there are so many ways teachers can encourage struggling students with reading. It can be something as simple as talking about their favorite books or reading along with the students during silent reading that can make such an incredible impact. This within itself shows me that it's very important to pay attention to detail as a teacher and to never forget about the "little things" when teaching in a classroom. Second, the article by Diller also taught me very important lessons. It stated that because classrooms are becoming more and more diverse, it is vital that teachers pay attention to student's learning styles according to their cultural background. To accomplish this, it is key that teachers get to know each student very well individually and to learn through parents, co-workers, etc. what steps can be taken to accommodate to each and every cultural norm.
Sarah, I can tell you that if you ever get a student like I was, who struggles in language arts but nothing else, i would encourage you to get the child the extra help they need, which might require getting them tested for a learning disability. When getting this help for the child you should always remember what the child is feeling however, as I was putted out of math class (my favorite part of the day) to go to what i called "the stupid reading club", which was not a positive experience for me.
ReplyDeleteJust to add on to what you and Kelli talked about with working with struggling readers, and being a struggling ready myself through upper elementary, I think it is a difficult task to help struggling readers get reading. In my own experience as a struggling reader, it was not that I did not want to learn how to read, it was just that I would rather be doing something else. I think that in addition to showing interest in reading as a teacher it is also important to find little ways that makes that student tick. For me it was science. If I had to read something to do a science experiment, I was going to try really hard. It you made me just sit and read for 20 minutes, I sat there and stared at the same page the whole time. That was the case for me, but every student is different in what motivates them. I think that communicating with your student to find out what they like to learn about can help them to becoming a better reader.
ReplyDeleteIn addition to testing for learning disabilities it is also important to talk to the students parents. Like in the article you read, the author talked about how it was important for students to get motivation from their parents. Parents are the main adults and role models in a students life, so it can be helpful to also have their parents encouraging them to read and interested in their books.
Finally, I have been a student wanting to give up trying to read and have also tutored students who have given up. Remember to teach that mistakes are OK, and hard work will pay off. I think that creating a classroom environment that is a safe place for students can also be a great motivator, because they are not embarrased that reading isnt coming to them as easy as their peers.