One thing in chapter that I picked up on was what teachers think about their methods on teaching certain children. It is important to keep in mind that as a teacher, it's not just about what you teach and expecting all of your students to retain the information. The manner in which the material is taught can make learning the material easier to understand, and remember.
Keeping in mind others' beliefs is an important aspect of teaching, especially in public schools. With so much diversity is today's classrooms, the instructor needs to be careful with what he/she discusses and how they talk about it. Also, as a teacher it is important to be tolerant of the students whom you are teaching.
Probably the most important aspect I got out of the chapter was the importance of stories. The importance of stories and how they can be used to reinforce concepts being taught is powerful. I think that being able to relate material being learned/taught to what is occurring in the classroom can help students grasp concepts they may not have understood otherwise.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Chapter 3: Families and Communities
"English proficiency is an attainable goal for all students."
I strongly believe this statement. Especially since English is the dominant language in society. If you aren't familiar with the English language, than you will have a hard time adapting to the culture. Having programs like ESL for English Language Learners greatly improve the student's ability to speak and write in English. It is my belief that it is near impossible for a teacher to be responsible for teaching a class that he/she is not equipped for; an example being teaching a classroom where there is an ELL that cannot understand entirely what you're saying. Learning English needs to be an option for all immigrants and citizens of the United States. In the majority of public education, and in the business world, English is the language used. There are plenty of programs and people willing to help those people learn English. So not only do I believe it is an attainable goal, I believe it should be required.
I strongly believe this statement. Especially since English is the dominant language in society. If you aren't familiar with the English language, than you will have a hard time adapting to the culture. Having programs like ESL for English Language Learners greatly improve the student's ability to speak and write in English. It is my belief that it is near impossible for a teacher to be responsible for teaching a class that he/she is not equipped for; an example being teaching a classroom where there is an ELL that cannot understand entirely what you're saying. Learning English needs to be an option for all immigrants and citizens of the United States. In the majority of public education, and in the business world, English is the language used. There are plenty of programs and people willing to help those people learn English. So not only do I believe it is an attainable goal, I believe it should be required.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Chapter 2: Today's Students
Teaching students where English is their second language can be a struggle. To help these students, it is the duty of the teacher to help in two main areas. To help them improve in the English language, and to help them progress in that subject area. Immigrant children come from different educational backgrounds, so it is important for the teacher to know and understand the level that the particular student is at. Being bilingual is a great thing, especially as someone living in the U.S., as there are so many ethnicities in our nation, so teachers should do everything they can to help the student learn English.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Chapter 1: Becoming a Teacher
The first chapter of the book discusses some of the "joys" teachers have during their career. You can also pull some not so joyful moments that teachers sometimes have.
As a teacher, the general feeling of working with the youth is a joyful one. After all, that is what your job encompasses. Though I'm sure everyone at one point or another has a teacher where they questioned that instructor's "love" for the job.
Another joyful experience that teachers have are the intrinsic rewards that come with teaching. When a student is struggling with the material being taught and a teacher can work with that student and help them improve, it's moments like that that make teaching worth it. Improvement is a quality I bet all teachers enjoy seeing.
Lastly, the overall feeling of making a difference is a feeling that every educator wants. To know that what they're teaching is being heard, understood, and implemented is a rewarding thing for teachers to be able to experience.
As with every profession, there are moments that teachers may find not joyful. Something people often hear teachers kiddingly complain about is their pay. Granted it's not the highest paying job, but in my years as a student I've never seen anything indicating that teachers don't make a lot of money.
Advancement opportunities in the education field are hard to get. This is another thing that teachers see as not such a joy.
Also, with laws put into place such as NCLB, educators feel like they're getting less and less freedoms in their classroom. Having to teach certain things so students can meet standards is tough on teachers.
As a teacher, the general feeling of working with the youth is a joyful one. After all, that is what your job encompasses. Though I'm sure everyone at one point or another has a teacher where they questioned that instructor's "love" for the job.
Another joyful experience that teachers have are the intrinsic rewards that come with teaching. When a student is struggling with the material being taught and a teacher can work with that student and help them improve, it's moments like that that make teaching worth it. Improvement is a quality I bet all teachers enjoy seeing.
Lastly, the overall feeling of making a difference is a feeling that every educator wants. To know that what they're teaching is being heard, understood, and implemented is a rewarding thing for teachers to be able to experience.
As with every profession, there are moments that teachers may find not joyful. Something people often hear teachers kiddingly complain about is their pay. Granted it's not the highest paying job, but in my years as a student I've never seen anything indicating that teachers don't make a lot of money.
Advancement opportunities in the education field are hard to get. This is another thing that teachers see as not such a joy.
Also, with laws put into place such as NCLB, educators feel like they're getting less and less freedoms in their classroom. Having to teach certain things so students can meet standards is tough on teachers.
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