My elementary school is going through many changes. From hiring 4 new teachers in just a couple of months, sickness going around, a new principal, new scheduling, and new students; this place is a completely different school now then it was last year. During this transition, my CT requested that I give her and the students some time to adjust to all of this change, and to not return until September 2nd. This was a little discouraging at first. I had just met all of the students, gotten to know my teacher and then all of it was put on hold for an entire 2 weeks!
During this time, rather than just enjoying my Mondays and Fridays off, I decided to be proactive in my studies. I also decided to search for good blogs and tips for teaching once I got back in the classroom. My Pinterest is filled with classroom management skills, teacher websites to get great deals, interactive opportunities for students to get engaged in learning, and Twitter has been teaching me many ways to incorporate helpful technology tools into my instruction.
My 4th grade classroom has at least 5 recognized exceptional children (EC) in the classroom. This means I have my work cut out for me. I found a blog that focused on the "8 Essential Areas for Managing Special Needs Behavior" and figured I could at least check it out. Once I read a few of the bullet points, I thought most of this information was just common sense, but apparently not. My favorite area to focus on is the strengths of the particular student. I believe that everyone was given a gift/talent and sometimes it takes time and effort to discover what that is.
I think one of the most rewarding parts of teaching is helping children find their passion. Students who act out or are classified as "special needs" can often be shrugged off and "handled" for a while, rather than cared for and tended to. Although it takes a lot of time and energy, I believe most of these experiences can be rewarding. We the teachers must have faith in our students, because if we don't, who will?
Until next time,
Brittany Kertesz
Brittany,
ReplyDeleteYou and I were on the same wavelength with your first blog post. I said in my feedback to research ways to teach the exceptionalities in your classroom...and... you did. Thanks for being proactive here. While it is discouraging to not return to your classroom until Sept. 2, this is a "once in a semester" opportunity for you to breathe and get organized.
What neat things have you found on Twitter?
-JP
Brittany,
ReplyDeleteIt is great that you found a blog that allowed you to develop as a progressive learner. By being proactive you will be able to use this resource to not only help you but to help your students that are recognized as EC. I am so glad that you had a great first week!