Blog Entry #5

It's hard to choose on role as the most challenging role teachers play because the expectations placed upon teachers are so diverse. I suppose, that, in itself could be the most challenging role, that is, being an adapter and a learner. Teachers to teach only one way will not reach many students. Out dated methods are as ineffective as out dated material. Teachers need to be willing to change the way they teach to fit the needs of the students rather than sticking to a pre-determined agenda. Developing this skill requires a lot of experimentation and observation. For example, I work at a school for special education. Recently, a new student moved into our class. Since we didn't know what the student was able to do or liked to do, I spent a whole day trying different tasks and documenting how he reacted to each task. A teacher needs to be able to recognize when a method is not working and be able and willing to make adjustments. At work, we spend a lot of time adapting curriculum and projects to fit the needs of each student. In a regular education classroom, it's harder to adapt for every student because there are no IEP's or aids making it possible for consistent one-on-one attention. Still, even regular-ed students need teachers who are aware of their areas of struggle and success. Teachers need to be humble enough to recognize the ideas of their students. A student more often than not knows which teaching methods they understand the best. Communicating options to students can be productive for both the student and teacher. Sometimes, it's more effective for a teacher to ask a student, "How would you like to do this?" than for the teacher to try several different methods of teaching material because it can save time and give the student a personal connection to the project.