Educating Emse
I am so proud of Jenny. I cannot believe how much her reading has improved over the course of three weeks. When I gave her another running record today, she had moved up almost three reading levels. I was running out of books to challenge her with. She looked happier too. I mean, she's a happy person in general, but she does not like to read. Even when I presented her with her fourth book today, she did not complain, roll her eyes, or turn away from me. I hope that these are signs that I am starting to gain her trust.
I've heard the teachers in the lounge complaining about their kids, and how their lives are now devoted to producing high test scores for the state instead of teaching about things that really matter. Part of the reason that I wanted to become a teacher was because I felt that I could be my own boss. I could run a classroom the way I felt it should be run, the way I know it should have been run when I was in elementary school. I didn't want students lives to mandated by high-stakes testing every couple of weeks. I understand that the standards give us something to work towards, however sometimes they take all the joy out of learning. They make school feel like a job instead of a privledge. Students are growing up too fast. The world is moving too fast. I hope one of the things that I'll be able to teach my kids someday is the importance of slowing down and taking everything in while you have the chance. We're so focused on raising children to be successful as adults that we seem to be forgetting to let them enjoy being kids.
I have always loved and will always love literature. Nothing can connect ideas and concepts for students in the way that literature can. I love using picture books when I do lessons because those books explain ideas more clearly than I could ever hope to explain them.
I have observed many different teaching styles now, and I'm beginning to come up with my own in my head. Or at least what I think it will be. Who knows if a year from now, when I'm actually out in the field, if anything that I've learned from these experiences will retain any value.
I've heard the teachers in the lounge complaining about their kids, and how their lives are now devoted to producing high test scores for the state instead of teaching about things that really matter. Part of the reason that I wanted to become a teacher was because I felt that I could be my own boss. I could run a classroom the way I felt it should be run, the way I know it should have been run when I was in elementary school. I didn't want students lives to mandated by high-stakes testing every couple of weeks. I understand that the standards give us something to work towards, however sometimes they take all the joy out of learning. They make school feel like a job instead of a privledge. Students are growing up too fast. The world is moving too fast. I hope one of the things that I'll be able to teach my kids someday is the importance of slowing down and taking everything in while you have the chance. We're so focused on raising children to be successful as adults that we seem to be forgetting to let them enjoy being kids.
I have always loved and will always love literature. Nothing can connect ideas and concepts for students in the way that literature can. I love using picture books when I do lessons because those books explain ideas more clearly than I could ever hope to explain them.
I have observed many different teaching styles now, and I'm beginning to come up with my own in my head. Or at least what I think it will be. Who knows if a year from now, when I'm actually out in the field, if anything that I've learned from these experiences will retain any value.