WEEK+7

Week 7 Key Words: Early Childhood Learning: Student Wellbeing, Getting to know your students is obviously the most improtant thing a teacher will do apart from planning. Without a relationship there will be no trust and therefore engagement in learning will be minimal! It is important to have a range of strategies to help this happen. By class activities and corner/ space devoted to the class members. They can add to their space as they want to, and share it with others. Observe interactions between students, ask appropriate questions or create a personal slideshow etc.. The most important fact I took from the lecture was to be careful not to make assumptions about students too quickly. When we get into schools we will be able to better relate to these senarios. Anita Dinon 27/04/2009

Who are your students?

The key point I have taken from Professor Tanya Fitzgerald’s lecture this week was to never make assumptions. Each individual integrates new situations or new information into their existing framework of their life experiences and values. Their perspective will influence what they expect to see, happen or be. This can be correct, but can also be very wrong. It can do an individual a huge injustice. I am sure most of us have both seen this happen and have had this happen to them. When you are a primary school teacher, you are a very large part of a child’s life. Not understanding a student, or having them **feel** that you do not understand them, can cause so much distress to that child and their family.

As a teacher, one cannot be expected to know everything about each student, nor is it always appropriate and necessary that a teacher be aware of every circumstance. However, it is essential to create an environment where the student or their family feels safe to disclose and discuss any matter which they deem appropriate and relevant to their child. A child and their family must feel they can trust a teacher to be discreet, considerate, professional and supportive wherever possible.

Failing to understand a student can lead to incorrectly handling a situation. In order to best support our students, we need to ensure that we are not making judgments based on what we expect to see or happen. Teachers need to endeavour to address and support each student as an individual and look beyond that they see, or expect to see.

Sonia McAlary 20/5/09

I believe from the youngest possible age children need to understand themselves and what makes them different from everyone else. Each child has different intrinsic motivations and operates in different ways. These differences need to be embraced and celebrated by older influences in the child’s life. In a classroom setting, a teacher will have much more success if he or she understands a Childs background story which will determine the Childs goals, interests and strengths. This theory has proven to be relevant and has been evident in my current classroom placement. Through asking personal questions to ‘Jack’ about what his hobbies are, what his dreams are or what he wants in life, I can encourage his uniqueness by making him feel comfortable with his responses and also develop extrinsic rewards to help reach his goals. (Jessica Mitchell) 11/6/09

**__Week 7 Lecture__**

Today's lecture is really inspiring. I absolutely agree with Anita that it is so important to build a relationship and trust with students. If there is no bonding within students and the teacher, there will be no engagement nor the committment. The lecture also told us a lot of interesting facts that we may encounter after being a teacher in the community. Such as a teacher is a role model not only in schools and classrooms, instead we are always their role models anywhere anytime. Therefore, there is always a chance if I walk up in the street with my boyfriend and see a student passing by with their parents calling me "MISS". How should I respond then?How should I reactas a teacher? This is a very good question to start thinking about. Teacher do more than teach. It's not like I will behave badly outside school, yet there are way more of things that I need to improve. Even though I don't drink, I don't smoke and I don't swear, but I believe my manners and emotional reactional can be improved somehow. Also, I should think about how to react or respond to students and their families when we meet in the streets.

Another topic being brought up in the lecture is the importance teachers need to understand the students and the teachers themselves. Questions that I should be thinking about are 1) what clues do I have to identify and know my students? 2) What strategies might I use to get to know my stydents better? 3) How can I identify diverse talents ...etc.

Every child matters. Do not Leave Children Behind means starting where they are. An example is, students may get really happy and excited when the teacher being able to call out their names. They may think "MS. Hung knows my name." It definitely makes a difference for the students. As a teacher, I have to bear in mind that an effective teacher does not make assumptions. I should never group the children, naming them and being unfair to them. Students are from different backgrounds, homelands, and social financial backgrounds. They are all different. There is always a diversity in the classroom and we need to make sure we treat them all equally. One way is to encourage the students to share the openness about cultural backgrounds, beliefs and family to the class, celebrating festivals of different countries...etc. These may not be easy, but they are something to learn.

(Man Man Hung, Christy) June 2009