Cherie posted: The part of the reading that stuck in my mind the most was the comparison of students to blocks of stone. Teachers have a level of mastery for each subject and the student’s grade is based on their level of mastery. How disappointing is it to see a C or D on a paper you worked incredibly hard on? I had a professor who asked us to come up with ideas on teaching a math concept. My partner and I worked together to create a lesson that taught in a meaningful and motivating way only to have the professor say this is what I want you to teach and how. She had decided what she wanted us to do before we left the class to make plans for our lesson. Our lesson was dismissed without her even listening to what we had to say, our hard work not even acknowledged.
I work as a special education teacher and all my students are working at different levels. I want them to feel great about what they have accomplished. I try to remind myself to acknowledge what they have done and how far they have progressed even if it is just one problem more than the day before. Sometimes we as teachers lose sight of what we are truly trying to accomplish. That is to ensure our students leave our classrooms not just with knowledge of curriculum, but also the knowledge that they are someone special who can do anything they set their minds to. Students are not just a grade.
Renee replied: Cherie,
Your statement, “students are not just a grade” is very profound. When you and your partner were putting together the lesson for teaching math concepts, the professor should have taken the time to listen to your presentation, allowing you to explain why you thought your approach would benefit the students. By dismissing your idea without even looking at it, the professor can actually be doing more harm than good. You work with these students on a daily basis and see what is going on in class. You know their personalities and what motivates them. Unfortunately, this is how a teacher can become unmotivated as well and just stick to teaching the curriculum. It takes a teacher, like yourself, who wants to make a difference and continues to find creative ways to teach.
Sources:
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Blog title: Wk 1-Reading CH. 1-3
Blogger: Cherie Park
Blogger url: http://cpark-edm613.blogspot.com/2010/11/wk-1-reading-ch-1-3.html
Retrieved: November 28, 2010
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