One-on-One

I have been working a lot with one student.  It is the student I briefly mentioned in my last post.  The teacher asks me to sit with him while she goes over the day's Math lesson with the class.  Socially he is still at a first grade level, but hopefully he will catch up as he gets more comfortable in the classroom.  This student is smart.  He is at the same level as many of his classmates.  However, he still has a hard time reading and writing.  His handwriting looks like a kindergarten student's.  He writes some letters and numbers backwards.  I feel that he should be getting some extra help in reading and writing, but he isn't.  It makes me think of the Lau v. Nichols case that we learned about.

The case dealt with non-English speakers such as Chinese-Americans and the automatic disadvantage they had in school because they weren't being taught how to speak English.  However, I think about this boy who was never really taught how to read and write before coming to school and wonder if this also applies to him.  He needs to be given the opportunity to develop his English reading and writing skills in order to catch up to his same-age peers.

Whenever I sit with this student, I try to encourage him.  I remind him he's smart when he says he cannot do something.  I remind him how to write those numbers and letters when he writes them backwards, but I try to do that in a way that won't make him feel bad.  He's very insecure and needs someone to help boost his confidence.  When I help him with his homework, he finishes it before half the class does.  He knows how to do the math problems, he just needs to be allowed to receive more practice with reading and writing.

One Child's Development, Auditory Learner?

11 September 2012
My first day in the classroom, working with 3rd graders, was spent helping the students with math problems as a review for an upcoming test.  I quickly learned that explaining how to solve a problem without giving away an answer is hard to do.  The students are at various levels of comprehension on the subject.  Some students could be talked through the problems if I pointed out key terms to focus on.  For visual learners, I would draw examples on the board.  One way of explaining something wouldn't help every student.  My experience on that first day reminded me that everyone has a different learning style and to be a good teacher, I will have to learn how to incorporate aspects from the three styles in my lessons.  I also will want to keep in mind the theory of multiple intelligences to reach out to those students who may be more gifted in the arts, for example, than they are in academics (math, reading, science, etc.).

My second day in the class was test day.  The teacher was very glad I could sit and read the math test to one of her students.  This year is the student's first year in school.  Mother of said student was supposedly home schooling him, however, that was not the case.  He has a lot of catching up to do and developmentally seems to be at a first grade level.  We will see as time goes on how well he adjusts.  I think he is an auditory learner.  He can comprehend what is read aloud, even though he can't read well enough on his own yet.  I am concerned with his ability to connect with his peers.  As I continue to observe this class, I want to mentally monitor his progress and try to do what I can to assist him in his learning.