Teaching Beyond the School Day
I aspire to be an educator that makes a difference in the lives of all students. Opening communication after school hours is genius! Creating a website or blog for my students is such a great way to engage students outside of the classroom, and continue to educate them after school hours are long gone. This concept really got me thinking. How much time in a day will I have to reach my students? While there is no guarantee that my students can or will access the additional support I plan to offer, if my after hours classroom support reaches one student then my mission is accomplished.
Universal Design For Learning
The implementation of a concept that successfully reaches a wide range of students might very well be every educator's wish, and if it is not, it should be. This concept is special to me because I believe in providing additional support and assistance to students that have learning disabilities. However, I could not help but wonder if additional time is spent tending to some students, are the other students getting the quality education they deserve? I love that universal design for learning offers equal education to all students.
Multicultural Education in the 21st Century
As our beautiful country continues to grow, so does the diversity. It is imperative that educators have the tools to reach students of all backgrounds. I breaks my heart when students fail because they do not have the resources necessary to succeed. For example, when I was conducting a field experience at a local elementary school I sat in a first-grade classroom and watched a Haitian boy doodle for two hours straight. The teacher gave me the green light to engage the students and help them with their project. Wide-eyed and bushy-tailed, I jumped up and made my way around the room. I went up to the Haitian boy and watched as he doodled on a worksheet. Once he acknowledged me, I asked him what he was learning. A girl at his table explained to me that he did not speak English only Creole and a little bit of Spanish. I used the little bit of Spanish that I know to help him understand the project. He asked me in Spanish how to say things in English; once I translated it for him he sounded it out and wrote it in English. It was time for me to leave, and he asked if I would be back tomorrow to help. I explained that I would not be returning. What he did next has stayed with me two years later, he thanked me for taking the time to help him then said he knows his teacher wants something from him but he can never figure out what it is, and she cannot explain it to him. The little Haitian boy broke my heart for all English learners that need extra instruction but do not receive it. I promised myself that I would never leave a child behind like that.
In conclusion, I believe that effective teaching is a combination of, teaching beyond the school day, universal design for learning, and multicultural education in the 21st century. The before mentioned concepts are important to the modern day teacher and our modern day students.
Resources
Bennett, C. M. (2016, March 06). Gliffy Diagram | Effective Teaching. Retrieved March 06, 2016, from http://www.gliffy.com/go/publish/10170429
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