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Teaching Today.

by Amelia Suhayda

Oct 24, 2009

Teaching in today's schools is very difficult. I recently graduated from High School. I decided four years ago that I wanted to teach. I am in a teacher program in Nevada and am a Practicum student at two schools in the Reno area.

I expected that getting and keeping the student's attention would be difficult, but I had no idea how difficult it would be. The student's do not offer answers or opinions when I ask for them and aren't even cooperative when I give them incentive to volunteer (extra credit points, etc). Cell phones and other technology is making my job harder. All the students seem to want to do is text message each other. They can’t write me a simple essay about how they feel about anything because they don’t even use real words anymore. It is only casual chat speak (u for you, ittul for I will talk to you later etc.) The students are basically illiterate.

The students I teach are middle and high school special education students. I value class partic...See More

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Gladys On 10/24/09, Amelia Suhayda wrote: > Teaching in today's schools is very difficult. I recently > graduated from High School. I decided four years ago that I > wanted to teach. I am in a teacher program in Nevada and am > a Practicum student at two schools in the Reno area. > > I expected that getting and keeping the student's atte...See More

Oct 25, 2009

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Dale Interestingly, this same topic came up at a workshop I attended last week. The presenter put forth this as one teacher's solution. She said the teacher found that assigning reading assignments for homework and holding discussions in class was not working at all. The students' lives outside of class simply did not accommodate completing that sort of...See More

Oct 25, 2009

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Robert On 10/24/09, Amelia Suhayda wrote: > Teaching in today's schools is very difficult. I recently > graduated from High School. I decided four years ago that I > wanted to teach. I am in a teacher program in Nevada and am > a Practicum student at two schools in the Reno area. > > I expected that getting and keeping the student's atte...See More

Oct 25, 2009

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Oct 26, 2009

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John Schoonbeck On 10/24/09, Amelia Suhayda wrote: > Teaching in today's schools is very difficult. I recently > graduated from High School. I decided four years ago that I > wanted to teach. I am in a teacher program in Nevada and am > a Practicum student at two schools in the Reno area. > > I expected that getting and keeping the student's atte...See MoreOn 10/24/09, Amelia Suhayda wrote: > Teaching in today's schools is very difficult. I recently > graduated from High School. I decided four years ago that I > wanted to teach. I am in a teacher program in Nevada and am > a Practicum student at two schools in the Reno area. > > I expected that getting and keeping the student's attention > would be difficult, but I had no idea how difficult it > would be. The student's do not offer answers or opinions > when I ask for them and aren't even cooperative when I give > them incentive to volunteer (extra credit points, etc). > Cell phones and other technology is making my job harder. > All the students seem to want to do is text message each > other. They can’t write me a simple essay about how they > feel about anything because they don’t even use real words > anymore. It is only casual chat speak (u for you, ittul for > I will talk to you later etc.) The students are basically > illiterate. > > The students I teach are middle and high school special > education students. I value class participation and do not > often use the Pedagogy of strict memorization. I want the > students to appreciate what education and teachers can give > them. I also want them know what they are learning and how > it effects them. > > How do I do all this, without it being boring? > > The drop out rate is way too high; teachers need to come up > with new ways if they expect students to take interest > because they aren’t interested now.

Dear Amelia: I also share your concerns about the challenges that today's special education teachers face when inside the classroom. No one ever said it was going to be easy!!! I spend moretime learning how to be my student's learning partner and advocate for learning and less time sharing my wisdom or knowledge of my subject matter. The key here is "you care about your students" and because you care you will eventually find ways to reach out to your special education students. Keep knocking at their doors and when you find the message that they want to hear from you they will let you in and engage you!!! I have been teaching ED/LD special educations students for the last 17 years and I marvel in my small miracles when I see them and pray for all of my students who I am unable to connect with. Many of my former students have come back to LaSalle thanking me for the many life lessons and skills that they picked up in my classroom (between their disrespectful behaviors etc). Trust me they are watching you very closely to see if your willing to "fight the fight" and really care about them. Spend moretime sharing and getting to know them at first and teach your subject matter second. I'm not saying be just a friend but what I am saying "model behaviors" that says your their "caring advocate"!! Model the behaviors and valves that you expect from them and never ask them to do something that you are unwilling to do yourself. PS: When you are down and troubled: find yourself another female caring mentor teacher who can be supportive to you on thsoe tough days ans later laugh with you on your great days. Don't give up on your students "they really need you more than ever" PSS Give your assignements over their I-phones let their technology work for you to supplement your unit-lesson plans. John S

Oct 26, 2009

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