( Each student has a different strength and talent. Students learn in different ways and use different strengths in order to learn.)
What is Strength based approach? Strength based approach focuses on the individual needs and strengths rather than the content. Every child learns differently. It is important for teacher to get to know their students and find out their strengths and weaknesses and what strategies are helpful in the classroom. It is important for the teacher to teach lesson is variety of ways therefore she is reaching out to all students' learning styles. Students need to feel comfortable in their environment and be able to express their thoughts freely. Also, in my classroom I would give explicit instructions on how to do things therefore, all students know what to expect from me. Teachers need to understand their students talents and strengths. According to Anderson(2005) "There is a direct connection between your talents and your achievements.Your talents empower you. They enable you to move to higher levels of excellence and fulfill your potential.That is why it is so important for you to know,understand,and value your talents.A talent represents a capacity to do something. In fact, when you are able to do something very well,you can be sure that at least one of your talents is involved. Just think about all the things you do very well.You’ll realize that you have many talents! Not only do talents help you do something well once; they help you do it well over and over" (Anderson, E. (2005)Strengths-based educating: a concrete way to bring out the best in students—and yourself. Retrieved on February 12, 2008). (resource) This website made me realize that I need to focus on the talents of my students. As a teacher I need to have my students discover their talents and turn them into strengths. Anderson (2005) explains "as they do so, their self-identities and personal values should become clearer, and as a result,they will likely become more confident, optimistic, and focused. As they achieve through their strengths,they will likely aspire to—and achieve—higher goals"(Anderson, E. (2005)Strengths-based educating: a concrete way to bring out the best in students—and yourself. Retrieved on February 12, 2008). (resource)
7 comments:
Literacy expertise- In this activity done in E341 each student was to come up with some kind of way to express their strengths about a topic. This was a great way to find out about my fellow classmates. For my area of expertise I decided to choose traveling because I love to travel and I have been to many places in the world. I brought some artifacts from the places I visited. In addition to sharing my areas of expertise I learned about different classmates expertise. It was so interesting to see scrapbooks and art work. This activity would be a great activity to do in my future classroom to gain the understanding of my students interests. I think it is important to get to know your students so you can relate to them on a more personal level.
In my field experience I feel that my teacher does not know her students on a personal level because she could not tell me what her students strengths or weaknesses are. Also, she has not sent referrals for students who are struggling in reading and language arts. This scares me because students are not receiving extra support that they might need. Also, there is no sign of students' work being displayed. I think it is important to display student work because student should be proud of what they accomplish.
Also, in my field experience I have noticed that the teacher does not teach things to multiple styles. Everyday the students do worksheets which rely them to circle correct words and color them in. Also, the teacher has sentences written on the board that are the same everyday and they do not change. The worksheets are not helpful to all students because some students are visual, audio learners. If the teacher change her style of teaching maybe I would see more positive results. If students are learning how to spell words maybe they can become wearable letters and they have to work in team to spell out words. I believe that the teacher needs to switch up her activities in the classroom in order to benefit all students in the classroom. However, she does incorporate music and art into the day. The students learn different songs through out the day. Also, the students draw out pictures to describe their writing.
In order to find out more about the child needs and strengths and weakness a teacher should send home a letter and survey to the parent. Llisted below is an example of a survey
Survey
This information will help get to know _________________ and you. Please return it at your earlier convenience. Thank you.
1. What are some of the things your child likes to do and talk about?
2. What areas of school life has your child especially enjoyed?
3. Towards what areas of school life has your child expressed negative feelings?
4. In what settings does your child talk most comfortably?
5. How often do you read with your child?
6. What are your child’s favorite after-school or weekend interests and activities?
7. What kind of reading and writing do you and other family members like to do?
8. What, if any, special needs (academic, social, personal linguistic) does your daughter have?
9. What are your goals do you have for you daughter this year?
10. What else do you want me to know about your daughter or about you?
In my field experience I have learned that my foucsed student loves to draw pictures. My student does not know how to read yet, and she looks at the pictures to describe what is going in the story. I created a book where I wrote words to describe her and she had to draw pictures that went along with the story. Then I made her read the story and she still look at the pictures in order to read the story.
According to Van Sluys (2006) “ No child enters school empty-handed” (pp. 326).
I think the quote is important because a teacher needs to realize that every student has their strengths and their weaknesses. The student needs ways to use to their strengths in the classroom setting such as a student might an excellent drawer so he/she might use her artistic talent to express his/her emotions. It is important for a teacher to find out what the student likes so the teacher can better engage the student.
Van Sluys (2006) states “ if we want all students to be active members of a literacy club, we must study the tools, resources, meanings, and literacy that are valued and available to all participants (pp. 330).
I think it is important because if a teacher requires that all of his/ her students participant in activity then all of the students are able to participate. If the student is not able to participant the teacher needs to find ways for them to participate. The teacher needs to research and find different tools that help her students learn effectively. This will allow students to get to learn about themselves, other students, about the world , and who they might become because have the ability to participate.
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