What does it mean to be relational as a teacher? How will you interact with your students to accomplish this?
To be relational as a teacher means that you are accessable to your students. That they are welcome to ask questions without fear of being degraded. You also need to be able to relate to your students and see their perspective on things as well as your own. This does not mean being friends with your students or not holding them accountable, but being a trusted adult that they can talk to about your subject matter or anything else bothering them. It also means being a cheerleader for their successes and to make them responsible for their failures.
I will be relational to my students by holding informal tutoring sessions, letting them know that I am available to talk if they feel the need, and greeting them each day at the door asking them how their day is going. I will never say that a question is a stupid question or demean my students.
Monday, July 18, 2016
Sunday, July 10, 2016
EDU 270 Blog 3
Attention, Emotions and Learning
In the lessons about attention, emotions, and learning I learned that there are things other than what can be seen in the classroom going on in the heads of students. There has been a lot of controversy surrounding ADHD in the past few years as more and more children are being diagnosed. I think this is in part because of better awareness and partly because of the type of education system we have in the United States. Even though there are some factors that contribute especially to hyperactivity, such as artificial food dyes, that are relatively new. I also think that it is important to recognize that the attention problems must be exhibited across multiple situations. If a student loves history and can sit still and pay attention in history class but daydreams through algebra it might be a problem with algebra and not with attention.
Emotions also play an integral part in the school day. I think that it is important for educators to remember that there is a whole person sitting in the desk. These students have emotions, home lives, relationships and all of these can contribute to the amount of learning that takes place in the classroom. When anyone is under stress chemicals that are harmful to the brain are released and their ability to learn is severely diminished. When a child whose brain is extremely plastic and add the toxic chemicals from stress it can have an enormous effect on the brain. While working with students who happened to be from a low socioeconomic status I saw first hand the effects of financial hardship and stress on students. Those students that I knew had a lot of stress at home seemed to be unable to focus and complete assignments. As a teacher this will help me by understanding that my classroom needs to be an inviting, encouraging, and safe place away from excessive stress and distractions.
In the lessons about attention, emotions, and learning I learned that there are things other than what can be seen in the classroom going on in the heads of students. There has been a lot of controversy surrounding ADHD in the past few years as more and more children are being diagnosed. I think this is in part because of better awareness and partly because of the type of education system we have in the United States. Even though there are some factors that contribute especially to hyperactivity, such as artificial food dyes, that are relatively new. I also think that it is important to recognize that the attention problems must be exhibited across multiple situations. If a student loves history and can sit still and pay attention in history class but daydreams through algebra it might be a problem with algebra and not with attention.
Emotions also play an integral part in the school day. I think that it is important for educators to remember that there is a whole person sitting in the desk. These students have emotions, home lives, relationships and all of these can contribute to the amount of learning that takes place in the classroom. When anyone is under stress chemicals that are harmful to the brain are released and their ability to learn is severely diminished. When a child whose brain is extremely plastic and add the toxic chemicals from stress it can have an enormous effect on the brain. While working with students who happened to be from a low socioeconomic status I saw first hand the effects of financial hardship and stress on students. Those students that I knew had a lot of stress at home seemed to be unable to focus and complete assignments. As a teacher this will help me by understanding that my classroom needs to be an inviting, encouraging, and safe place away from excessive stress and distractions.
Wednesday, July 6, 2016
Lesson 2 - EDU 270
This week I learned about how the senses of vision and hearing affect student learning. The fact is that the entire environment of the classroom affects the ability of the students to learn. I personally have vision and hearing problems that began during my early years of school so I know what it's like to not be able to understand what the teacher is saying or not being able to see the board. In kindergarten I had no idea I had a hearing problem caused by severe ear infections until the teacher noticed that I would not respond to her when I was not facing her. This was the first sign that I had a hearing problem and it was discovered that I had ear infections in both ears when my mom took me to the doctor. In regard to my eye problems I started developing headaches any time I tried to read the board in class from squinting so much that in second grade I needed glasses. If my teachers had not picked up on these clues I might very well be deaf and nearly blind today.
The biggest thing that I will take into the classroom with me from this lesson is that if you see something that might indicate a hearing or vision problem speak with the parents and let them know that it might be time to see an appropriate doctor. Problems with vision or hearing can permanently affect the development of the brain and the skills that the child may have not acquired or lost may become long term problems.
The biggest thing that I will take into the classroom with me from this lesson is that if you see something that might indicate a hearing or vision problem speak with the parents and let them know that it might be time to see an appropriate doctor. Problems with vision or hearing can permanently affect the development of the brain and the skills that the child may have not acquired or lost may become long term problems.
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