In response to McCourt - You need to develop a rapport with your students. Each one has to feel noticed and included…the one who sits quietly has something to say. You have to tap into the psyche of your students…they need to care or, at least, know that your care.
In response to Gatto – He said he never heard teachers talking about theory or children in the teacher’s room…I agree that sometimes, teachers are simply trying to get through the day. I have seen this. Teaching becomes rote and scheduled and boring. I relate this to one of my jobs. I was returning to teaching after a 13 year absence and was lucky enough to get a maternity leave position for the entire school year in a day treatment program for emotionally disturbed (just for classification purposes) 5 and 6 year old children. My teaching style was very different from the teacher on leave and the aides were quick to tell me that my constructivist methods would never work in this setting. “These children need to be controlled!” I was also told by the aide to observe some of the other classrooms to get an idea of what she meant. I did. I observed neat desks and teachers sitting at their desks. Every once in a while, a frustrated student in anger was overturning a desk. I also experienced this idea of traditional control in the years following with my teacher’s aide in my classroom. It takes training and modeling to help the aide see that my goal is to help the child learn to control him or herself in different settings in their lives. Teaching is about learning information but it is also about creating a connection to the students that inspires them to want to learn. Ultimately, we want our students to learn to function in our society and become life long learners for themselves.
In response to Kozol – Some things never change. Kozol wrote about Stephen in 1967. We still have many Stephens. They generally are sent to residential or day treatment programs because they are unable to assimilate into the classroom model. They’re angry and don’t know how or where to release that anger. One would think that the county systems that support these children would be able to find the best homes to nurture and support their needs, but that often is not the case. All too often, foster parents goals are not in the best interests of the child. Out society continues to produce these lost children and we continue to struggle to create a program and life that will offer them the best opportunities.
I completely agree with your response to Mr. McCourt. Building a rapport with students is the only way to reach them. The way the author told his story it seemed as though he expected them to sit back and simply absorb his lecture. And anyone who has worked with kids knows that just isn't a realistic expectation.
ReplyDeleteI don't necessarily think joking with kids as he did is a bad idea, but he went about it in the wrong way. He told a joke out of frustration, not to try to connect with him.
Showing a little bit of a personality can go a long way toward winning over a classroom, especially once they reach middle school age.
Deb, I was not aware this story was written in 1967 which makes the story that much more sad. Little has been done to nurture and care for the Stephen’s around the world. My heart broke for Stephen and was in disbelief how horrific the art teacher corresponded with Stephen. To say, he was not even worth a piece of paper Is mental abuse. Stephen did not have to go home for abuse, he received it where his safe place should have been, school.
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