Reflection #4

1. Although “Michael” is an elementary student in this case, how often do teachers have this same tendency (in your opinion) to stereotype in the secondary classroom? Give examples.

Stereotypes are a particularly insidious factor in the formation of teachers' images of students. Teachers who rely on stereotypes rather than try to see the students behind them run the risk of letting cultural and individual biases work to their own disadvantage and to the disadvantage of the next generation of high school students. Most teachers don't even realize when they are stereotype individuals in a classroom. With regards to general teaching practices we as teachers always seem to call on the same group of individuals to answer questions in class without even realizing that we are doing it. This is a typical stereotype that most teachers engage in on a regular basis in their classrooms. If each and every teacher took the time to learn about the idiosyncrasies or what makes each student "tick" would eliminate general stereotypes that happen in a classroom.

 

2. How can we treat students according to what they present us, rather than what we assume? Give an example of how you have done so this semester. Post your response and respond to at least two other posts. 

All educators should have respect for students at all times. It seems today that we jump at every opportunity to showcase a student who has made a poor decision in judgment. One of the most prevalent issues highlighted is that of a teacher continuously berating or disrespecting a student or group of students. This type of behavior is unacceptable. When I encounter a student that has made a poor decision no matter what the cause was I try to use it as a learning experience for the student so that they do not make the same decision again. It is my goal to make students see outcomes for their actions rather acting on impulse and then dealing with the consequences.

 

Reflection #3

Socially speaking, I am in favor of inclusion. I think it is important for children to be socially integrated with all sorts of people who are different from them in order to learn how to behave appropriately in the face of those differences. Educationally speaking, however, I lean on the side of "ability grouping" in almost all grades as a measure of dealing with large class sizes.  Teachers are "concerned that the incentives created by some provisions of the law have elicited unintended responses that reduce the quality of education provided to at least some children” (Papay, 2010). In my opinion, most often, kids on both ends are being cheated out of a complete education. Students, regardless of ability, experience, even grade level, could be successful if it was easy to provide one-on-one time for each.  In my current teaching classroom I do have the opportunity to see children with special needs. Gwen Gilmore states, “If you exclude somebody they’re learning nothing. All they’re doing outside is probably getting into more trouble anyway, whereas in the Inclusion they still have school” (Gilmore, March 2012).   When I get to encounter these children in my homeroom class I try to understand them as much as I can without treating them differently from any other student. I think that this is very important so that they feel “normal” like the rest of their respective classmates. My perfect world would be public school classrooms with a cap at 15 students.  I would feel confident teaching any students in the entire school if class sizes were small enough to diversify and build close personal relationships. Let’s not fool ourselves, this is not a perfect world and all we can do as teachers is to better understand what it is that we have to do make each student learn at the same level without catering to one student’s needs.



Work Cited:

 

Gilmore, G. (March 2012). What's so Inclusive about an Inclusion Room? Staff Perspectives on Student Participation, Diversity and Equality in an English Secondary School. British Journal of Special Education, v39 n1 , 39-48.  Retrieved from http://web.b.ebscohost.com.easydb.angelo.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=15&sid=144ba665-a528-4996-a4c1-b2c00700bbd0%40sessionmgr113&hid=125

Papay, R. J. (2010). Teachers’ Views on No Child Left. Journal of Economic Perspectives—Volume 24, Number 3, Pages 151–166.

Success Journal

My first tweet for the week was, "It's truly amazing when a student has the "ah ha" moment in a one on one session, that's what makes teaching the most gratifying."  The student had been feeling behind in class and we pulled up together after the completion of the lesson and while going through the concepts that they were not understanding it was like the light bulb seemed to come on. They then told me they understood and that made me feel worth while in what I am planning on doing.  The tweet the following day was, "I found out the new meaning to trig ratios.....sohcahtoa....bright minds are a great thing."  While teaching trigonometric ratios to my classes one student brought to my attention and acronym that they thought that be would helpful in remembering the trig ratios and what they consisted of. In listening to their idea it seemed quite brilliant to say the least and I asked if I could share it with the rest of the classes and they said yes. Midweek my tweet read, "A student came today for tutorials and once we completed them they personally thanked me....its great to be a teacher." At CFC we do tutorials every morning and after school and for a student to get what they need from the tutorials and then personally thank the teacher, its the smallest of things that make teaching what it is. Thursday and Friday I did not have any tweets due to CFC benchmark testing.

 This week's assignment made my student teaching experience even better than I could of dreamed it to be. It has showed me how much I have grown individually since the beginning of this journey. Most of the time I am my own worst critic and that is hard to overlook sometimes and focus strictly on the positives but that will all come with time. I am hoping that in the following EOSL observations that I continue to grow individually as a teacher and a positive role model for all my students.