When we first started talking about DAT the first thought that went into my mind, was I would never have to deal with this. I became am elementary teacher so I would not have to deal with these things. However, after readying my article about drugs, I am a little more nervous. My article was about 3rd graders being caught smoking pot in the bathroom. This was flabbergasting to me. How could a 8 year old be smoking pot; when I was 8 I did not even know what pot was.
In the end of our discussion I think it is very important to start talking to the kids early about the dangers of DAT. We need to help our students stay clear and live longer and healthier lives. I now know that I need to be prepared for young students to try DAT and be ready with a plan on action to fix the problem.
One of my favorite things we did this semester was have the teacher’s panel come into the classroom. It was a great experience to see teachers at various levels share their stories, thoughts, and tips with our class. They all shared some great ideas that I hope to implement in my class, but they also shared some ideas that I do not totally agree with. The tips the teachers gave, are going to be very useful for us as future teachers: Ask questions, Pick your battles, know when to stop planning, and remember you don’t always see what you think you see. All of the tips will help all of us become better teachers.
One idea am on the fence about is a time limit for homework. I have a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that one child could do 15 problems in 20 minutes, and another child only does 1. How is the child that only did 1 problem going to fully grasp the concept and be ready for different types of problems? However, I also do not think the child who could only do 1 problem in 20 minutes should have to work for 6 hours on a single assignment.
Another topic I was very interested in during this class was technology. As college students we are very exposed to technology and our students have grown up in the technology era. However, I am worried about using technology in my classroom I am student teaching in. There is one computer, the teacher’s computer, and there is an overhead projector. That is it. In our discussion we talked about the importance of using technology to keep the students interests, but how am I supposed to use technology if it does not exist in the school?
ED460 Personal and Social Well Being is a course taken by college students in education during their student teaching semester. Topics covered include: poverty, child abuse, bullying, drugs, alcohol, and tobacco, counselors' role in school, adolescents and choices, and the use of technology.
Nicole, don't worry about not having an abundance of technology in your room. Use what you have when you can and make it engaging. When you are not using it your students will benefit far more from the enthusiasm you express through your instruction. Kids don't need technology to be engaged, think back to your early years in school...how much technology was used during instruction? How did you turn out?
ReplyDeleteKids these days (I sound old saying that) may be more technologically savvy and may benefit greatly from its use in the classroom, however they also benefit from "old-school" instruction. As Aristotle has been telling us for years "man is a social animal," kids need human interaction and need to learn from this interaction. This can be done without technology.
You'll do great!
Going along with what Ellen said, I agree in making the most of the technology you have been given. The classroom I will be teaching in this semester is on about the same page as you, Nicole. There is a computer, projector screen and two white boards. This is a great opportunity to get creative! Since you are working with elementary students, I am sure there will be plenty of opportunities for students to get hands-on with materials such as construction paper or colored pencils. For secondary students, I once brought in a portable c.d. player and connected an activity in which students listened to African American spiritual music with a reading selection that concerned pre-Civil War slavery. All that they had to do was listen to three pieces, but it was something different that caught their attention! I am sure you will run into various ways to make class active and interesting for your students using the technology you have access to as you student teach this semester.
ReplyDeleteThe homework time limit can also be a tough issue. Although it is important to challenge students, teachers must also take into consideration what each child is capable of completing within a specific time frame. I feel like this is when teachers should pay special attention to IEPs. This may also be a good opportunity to work with special educators and paras who have perhaps known a student longer than you, the new teacher, has known him or her. What is the student comfortable with? How does he or she do with keeping up on regular assignments? How can you all work as a team to modify assignments so that one student is not suffering from a homework overload? I feel like talking to colleagues will play a key role here.