Understanding that each student
in your classroom has a unique background that they come to school with
everyday is a very important thing that teachers must do. These students do not
just exist within our classroom from the hours of 8am-4pm, they have lives
outside of school which affect how they learn, what they like and how they interact
within the classroom. As a teacher it is extremely important to understand
these unique characteristics of our students. Doing so not only gives us a
deeper understanding of who they are as individuals but also creates a level of
trust and comfort within the teacher student relationship. In class we
discussed different ways of getting to know our students such as the “Where I’m
from poem”. Ideas like these are great because they allow each student to
express exactly what they want and show them more as an individual. I also
really like the idea of students having a personal journal that the teacher
reads through and responds to. This allows a one-on-one interaction with each
student that I think is really important. This is something that I would like
to bring into my classroom. I understand that this can be time consuming and
challenging to have each student write something separately that needs to be
read through and commented on but the idea of staggering when these journals
gets turned in is a nice alternative to lighten the load. We also discussed the
idea of the teacher being part of the community. I think that this is a really
great way to get to know students as well. Simply seeing them outside of the
classroom exposes you to a completely different understanding of them. Going to
extracurricular activities such as sporting events and seeing students interact
with each other as well as their families is a great way to get to know them on
a more personal level.
I am in my placement during
breakfast as well as snack. During this time the students are all sitting at
their tables eating and talking with each other while my MT organizes things
for the next part of the day. I am going to make an effort to spend this time
with a different table group each time that I am there, getting to know more
about these students lives. I think that sitting and listening to them talk and
asking them about their weekends or other things that excite them is a great
way to find out more about them. I can also use this opportunity to ask them
questions about assignments they are currently or have previously worked on and
gain a better understanding on their attitudes towards school. This is
something that I have done a few times but making a more conscious effort to do
it every time I am there will really help me know my students better.
I really like your idea of a one-on-one journal between students and teachers! I think that is great. It's a good way to communicate back and forth, developing a sense of trust between one another. I would be afraid, however, that some students would not take it seriously and would feel strange sharing personal things with a teacher. It's also a good idea for if a student has any suggestions for how you, as a teacher, can help them better themselves. I know that students sometimes feel embarrassed or scared and don't ask for help, this way they could do it without having to actually say it aloud and feel nervous. Good thoughts! I like your ideas.
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