Lesson 5

1.     After watching the videos on Language and Reading, how does this information impact you as a teacher?

    Understanding language development and how children acquire language is critical for teachers.  Language and reading go hand-in-hand with children.  When a parent or teacher is reading aloud to a young child,  not only is the child building language skills, but he or she is building reading skills as well.  

    As a teacher, I will make sure to have reading materials available to my students at all times.  I want to have books written in many different languages in my classroom.  Knowing that 65% of fourth grade students do not read at grade level, will make me work harder to make sure that all students in my class get adequate reading practice and that I as a teacher read to my students each day.  It doesn't matter how old a child is, having someone read to him or her can only build and strengthen the child's own reading skills.

Lesson 4

What does it mean to be relational as a teacher? How will you interact with your students to accomplish this?  

When a teacher is relational, it means that they try to do more than instruct their students.  Nobody likes a dictator.  Relational should not be confused with friendship.  While some teachers believe that standing in front of the classroom giving a lecture is teaching, I do not.  Establishing good rapport with students is the first step in getting them to want to learn and participate in class. 

Interacting with my students will first be in a calm voice and an appropriate tone.  I don’t want to sound like I am constantly shouting at the students.  I will make sure that at the beginning of each day I will greet each student at my door with a handshake or a high five.  When a student does something incorrect, I will have a private discussion with them regarding it.  This privacy will show students that I am not trying to call them out or embarrass them in front of everyone.  Having private conversations builds trust with students.  One other thing that will be beneficial is positive notes home.  When a student does well, it should be celebrated.  When, as a teacher, I celebrate positive things with both the student and the family, it shows that we are all in it together.  Students that feel connected and feel that the teacher has faith in their abilities, work harder and try harder.