This is the time of year that teachers are marching through the brains of their students and carefully surveying the contents of the brain and the connections within the brain. Teachers need to know what students know and how they best connect with new information in order to best adapt to each student's needs.
Before the days of data driven everything, teachers have always marched through the brains of their students, looking for clues concerning their learning - content and style - to better make a successful game plan for the year's instruction. Whether you are data driven or not, every teacher needs to know what students already know in the content areas being taught.
How do we march through the brain? Well, personally, I watch each student. Observation is the key. I watch their body language. Amazingly enough, one does not necessarily need to be an expert in the field to be a body language reader. Hand in the air before you can say good morning? Often times that hand belongs to little "I need you to notice me right now" or to little "I need immediate validation before I can continue." Student who tries to look busy with the supplies while you are looking for a volunteer to read or to answer? Why, that is none other than Mr. "I have no idea what's going on and I usually fake enough to get by, so please don't mess me up by calling on me." Being observant of each student's behavior in class will definitely tell a teacher about a student's knowledge and confidence in that knowledge.
Next step in the march, I analyze every paper, activity and note that is written or completed in the classroom. I grade everything. (People tell you don't grade everything, but in the first several weeks, I do. The truth is that I need that information to make a determination about a student's skills.) Once I see how a student processes information and relates it to the tasks required, I am able to determine the best course of action for each one.
As I march, I am creating activities that will best address the needs of the group, while including activities that will be tailored to specific students' needs.
Students always giggle when I tell them I am looking in their brains. However, I am sincere albeit silly. I am taking a deep look into their minds and, in turn, into my curriculum. This part of the march can yield the best results and the most gratification. It can also yield the most frustration.
Marching looks glamorous. Everyone loves the annual results - I mean the Macy's Annual Thanksgiving Parade is nearly part of my family. Yet, the day to day walking, holding the rope to the balloon float, contending with the weather and other environmental variables can take its toll. As teachers, we need to march remembering that we will be making a difference by the time the parade starts. Each day of looking in the brain, adjusting, holding the rope against the unpredictability of the environmental aspects of a child's life, and continuing to walk along the parade route can be exhausting and challenging. Keep imagining the parade. (You know, the day the student "gets it". Or, the day the student has a successful grade. Or the day the achievement test results show gains.) The parade is worth the march.
First published September 17, 2017
Comments
Post a Comment