Aren't we all like my student? I don't want to be put in a box, the box of divorced or the box of amazing house keeper (o.k. just kidding about that one)! Am I divorced? Yes, but I am so much more than that. If you get to know me you might be surprised by a few things.
I feel it is important that my students know their disability. I have had students reach post high school level and not know that they have a disability, that there IS a reason some things are hard for them. It is equally important to teach them to never let that label limit them. A balance must be found where they are pushing themselves to their potential but also being kind to themselves when they aren't able to do something. That is no small task for my staff and I. We sometimes are too easy on students and assume that they aren't able to do something. I have had students that I thought for sure could not do a task and they blew me away with their ability! Like M for example: We were doing a fraction unit. M struggles with basic math concepts and I really thought of giving him something else to work on but I wanted him to have the pizza box! Let me explain, I put the fraction unit work in individual pizza boxes and I wanted him to have that too. After the unit was finished and the final test given, M got half of the test correct! I am so glad I didn't limit M.
Sometimes we are too hard on students. We need to know our students well and read the signs when they are getting overwhelmed, stressed or anxious. We need to listen to them.
A good day is when students struggle a little, but have lots of success too! I guess that is pretty much a good day for all of us, right?
No comments:
Post a Comment