The importance of knowing your students
By Mary Morgan
EDI 600 Psychological Foundation of Education
School of Education
Long Island University, C. W. Post
January 29, 2010
Long Island University, C. W. Post
January 29, 2010
Last class while going over the syllabus I did feel a bit overwhelmed. The class load is intimidating but everything is very feasible and more importantly the work will make us better teachers. I really enjoy the set up of this class, how it is a little more structured with lecture in the beginning then toward the end more class discussion. It is a very comfortable environment, which I think makes for a more beneficial learning experience.
I thought the panel discussion was a great way to interact and learn from our peers that have a little more experience in the classroom. It is refreshing to hear other people’s experiences with children because it is always different and there is always new advice and ideas to gain. I currently work in an integrated preschool classroom and eight out of fifteen of the students are special education children. It was very interesting for me to hear about Nicks experience with older children that are more severely disabled. It made me think about all of the different settings there are for special education teachers and how difficult can be.
One thing that wasn’t really touched upon but I think is very important, especially in special education, in order to become a great teacher is knowing your students. Getting to know them and showing a sincere interest in their lives really helps to establish a mutual trust and respect. Each student is so different and what works for one will not necessarily work for the other. This goes for teaching styles, ways of explaining, incentives, behavior management and so much more. For example in the classroom I work in now we use a red light system for behavior, the goal is to stay on green and for most of the kids a small reminder that their bad behavior will move their name to yellow is enough to immediately stop the behavior. For one particular student this does not work, but the incentive to be a helper with a teacher will change his behavior.
I thought the panel discussion was a great way to interact and learn from our peers that have a little more experience in the classroom. It is refreshing to hear other people’s experiences with children because it is always different and there is always new advice and ideas to gain. I currently work in an integrated preschool classroom and eight out of fifteen of the students are special education children. It was very interesting for me to hear about Nicks experience with older children that are more severely disabled. It made me think about all of the different settings there are for special education teachers and how difficult can be.
One thing that wasn’t really touched upon but I think is very important, especially in special education, in order to become a great teacher is knowing your students. Getting to know them and showing a sincere interest in their lives really helps to establish a mutual trust and respect. Each student is so different and what works for one will not necessarily work for the other. This goes for teaching styles, ways of explaining, incentives, behavior management and so much more. For example in the classroom I work in now we use a red light system for behavior, the goal is to stay on green and for most of the kids a small reminder that their bad behavior will move their name to yellow is enough to immediately stop the behavior. For one particular student this does not work, but the incentive to be a helper with a teacher will change his behavior.
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