One of the elements of the integrated curriculum, is not only knowing the curriculum material, but knowing your students. In terms of knowing your students, it is essential to consider the economic, social, and cultural factors that represent the community. It is equally important to know your students on an individual level as well. For example, creating a "Get To Know You" handout at the beginning of the academic year. "Knowing your students" gives teachers the ability to understand students on both an academic and personal level. As a future educator, I plan to integrate goal setting with students with not just curriculum content, but with modern twenty-first century skills as well. For example, if a student is uncomfortable presenting in front of his/her peers, I would like to set up goals with the student to overcome such a fear. In order to become more comfortable with communication/presenting skills, I may ask students to break off and present to their peers in small case study groups, rather than to the entire class at first. Recently, working with Ontario curriculum documents and forming lesson plans by using an integrated curriculum model has encouraged me to reflect on my education and schooling experiences.
As I reflect on the many amazing teachers I have had, one teacher in particular stands out. My grade two teacher was a young and extremely outgoing professional. She was always encouraging students to do their best and had the ability to make education fun. One of my grade two spelling words was "photosynthesis" and it coincided with experiments and lessons we were completing in science. I'll never forget how the teacher was able to harness my outgoing nature and academic strength by challenging me to do new things. This teacher would show some of my grade two science work to the grade eight teacher who specialized in science, and it really gave me a sense of pride. Also, despite having some nerves and doubts, she encouraged me to read a short story I created in front of the grade eight class and I also read a journal entry about Christmas on the announcements. Speaking in small groups and in front of large audiences is something I have become very comfortable with. I was very fortunate to have a teacher who not only cared about the students' academics, but genuinely cared about our overall well-being and how we would develop as democratic citizens.
In my own recent experiences in the classroom, I have truly attempted to know the students. When I was in second year of university, I had the opportunity to be involved with a grade six classroom once a week for three hours. Often times I was one on one with a student who had difficulties paying attention and frequently interrupted the class. This student really struggled with math and never wanted to do his work. As I began to become familiar with the student, I discovered he was really interested in World War II ships and planes. While the class was doing a unit on perimeter, area and volume, I took the math questions and we worked it out together. I utilized the "Legos" in the back of the classroom by creating war planes and ships with him to explain the concept of "volume" specifically. Immediately, the student became more engaged with the learning material when it involved something he was interested in. In addition, he was able to physically work with materials at hand and visualize these mathematic concepts. I learned from that experience that it is essential to know your students.
The following image is of a book I have read, "What Teachers Make" by Taylor Mali. The book was interestingly a response to a rich man at a dinner party who sneeringly asked Mali what teachers make. Mali’s looks at how different experiences in the classroom contribute to the joys of teaching. I enjoyed the book overall as it was one of the first actual books I had read regarding education. I really appreciated the following lines:
"On a personal level, however, face-to-face with children who have names and stories, who come to school hungry and wearing the same clothes as the day before, you cannot decide that some are no longer worth your time, no matter what the statistics seem to suggest. Teachers who tirelessly fight the good fight know this. No matter how far behind a child is, no matter how limited you think his future choices are, you cannot ever give up on him. That is what teachers make: the promise to leave every student they teach better prepared for the future than they were when they entered the class at the beginning of the year. On the most basic level, that's just what we do."
-Taylor Mali
(Personal Picture).
I challenge others to reflect on their education experiences. What makes an exceptional teacher? What did you learn from your past teachers? How have teachers impacted who you are as a person today? As I have reflected on these such questions, I truly believe that teachers are vital to society and have definitely impacted who I am today (not just academically) but as a person. I do understand though that everyone has different experiences with schooling and teachers. It is my goal as a future educator to know not only the curriculum at hand, but to know the students.
"One looks back with appreciation to the brilliant teachers, but with gratitude to those who touched our human feelings. The curriculum is so much necessary raw material, but warmth is the vital element for the growing plant and for the soul of the child." Carl Jung
Concepts regarding education and/or curriculum referenced from:
Drake, S.M. & Reid, J.L. & Kolohon, W. (2014). Interweaving curriculum and classroom assessment: Engaging the 21 Century Learner. Toronto, ON: Oxford University Press.
Mali, Taylor. (2012). What Teachers Make. New York: Penguin Group Inc.
How lucky you are Chelsea to have had such experiences. I wonder if your colleagues feel the same way. Perhaps it is your sunny nature and openness to new experiences that opens the door to such experiences. Did all grade 2 students have the same experiences? Did they all appreciate the teacher? (I only remember one teacher from K to 12 who lit a fire in me. - but then I was probably sullen and closed!) The wonder of your experience is that you can share it and your learning will doubtlessly be passed on to your own students and the people you work with today. Also appreciate you mentioning What Teachers Make - a really positive look at teaching.
ReplyDelete