Advice for Teachers
Teaching is a career that gives you the fulfilling and accomplished feeling that we all dream of having with our career choice. Any teacher who enjoys seeing the fruits of his or her labor undoubtedly feels overwhelmed at some point in their career. A great teacher knows that teaching is not just about helping kids learn basics like math, science, English and history. Teaching is also about relationships and chemistry, between a student and their teacher, feeding imagination and creativity, and standing up for every child's individual learning process. In today’s schooling systems, 50% of young teachers in inner-city schools leave within the first three years, that is twice the rate of the nation. In order to be an affective teacher one must be passionate, patient, understanding and dedicated. Not every student requires the same teaching methods and with the No Child Left Behind program, it seems like there is more pressure on teachers to reach a certain level with their students, taking away from the time and unique teaching methods some students may need. Many teachers who leave the job complain of a lack of structure and a lack of emotional support in this test-crazed educational culture. With learning disabilities at a high rate, teachers need to be aware of their students learning process and of their strengths and weaknesses, it is also important to have a good open and honest relationship with the parents in order to discuss strategies to address any problems their children may be having. If a child is having difficulties in school, they could possibly be suffering from some type of learning disability, and the sooner this is identified, the sooner the child can receive the help he or she needs.
-How to Identify Learning Disabilities
Learning disabilities can be devastating to children and their families. Disabilities are often mistaken for laziness, normal hyperactive behavior, or unwillingness to learn. Learning disabilities are hard to diagnose and treat, but identifying symptoms will help parents to better understand their child, give teachers the knowledge needed in order to personalize an individual teaching process and ultimately help the child improve in their schooling. As a teacher, here are some signs to watch for when trying to spot a learning disability.
-Pay attention to the child's homework and interaction while learning. Showing no interest or picking up skills slower than others.
-Keep an eye on the child's emotional levels, they may seem sad, angry or depressed for no apparent reason. Acting out in class or talking without permission and strong mood swings are signs that something could be wrong.
-Watch for elevated confusion. Misplacing books or homework. Hard time memorizing for their age level.
-A common problem is writing numbers and letters backwards often, this is a clear sign of a learning disability.
It is important to be aware of these signs and to alert the parents and discuss your concerns. Children may feel sad or unlike the other kids once they notice that they are learning differently than the others. It is crucial for the teachers and parents to handle the situation in a sensitive child friendly manner in order to maintain the child's willingness to overcome the problems.
-Shari Duddy
Shari Duddy is a Learning Disabilities Teacher Consultant in the New Jersey area, has spent the majority of her teaching career helping children with learning disabilities. Her hands on techniques have changed the lives of many children and given them hope for their educational future. Shari understands the importance of making sure the students with learning disabilities feel just as smart, important, and capable as the general education students. She has made her mark by teaching others that there does not need to be a divider between the two. The affect that that has on the children is more apparent than many realize.
Thinking is education. It opens the doors to ones mind. The importance of education has been proven to be a prerequisite for the functioning of any society. Not everyone is fit to be a teacher; it is not just about teaching children abc's and 123's. A teacher must be equipped to handle all that comes with the job, for the importance of education goes beyond the concept of being literate. Knowledge is power, and in order for the students of today to be successful in the future, the importance of education needs to be instilled in children from an early age.
-How to Identify Learning Disabilities
Learning disabilities can be devastating to children and their families. Disabilities are often mistaken for laziness, normal hyperactive behavior, or unwillingness to learn. Learning disabilities are hard to diagnose and treat, but identifying symptoms will help parents to better understand their child, give teachers the knowledge needed in order to personalize an individual teaching process and ultimately help the child improve in their schooling. As a teacher, here are some signs to watch for when trying to spot a learning disability.
-Pay attention to the child's homework and interaction while learning. Showing no interest or picking up skills slower than others.
-Keep an eye on the child's emotional levels, they may seem sad, angry or depressed for no apparent reason. Acting out in class or talking without permission and strong mood swings are signs that something could be wrong.
-Watch for elevated confusion. Misplacing books or homework. Hard time memorizing for their age level.
-A common problem is writing numbers and letters backwards often, this is a clear sign of a learning disability.
It is important to be aware of these signs and to alert the parents and discuss your concerns. Children may feel sad or unlike the other kids once they notice that they are learning differently than the others. It is crucial for the teachers and parents to handle the situation in a sensitive child friendly manner in order to maintain the child's willingness to overcome the problems.
-Shari Duddy
Shari Duddy is a Learning Disabilities Teacher Consultant in the New Jersey area, has spent the majority of her teaching career helping children with learning disabilities. Her hands on techniques have changed the lives of many children and given them hope for their educational future. Shari understands the importance of making sure the students with learning disabilities feel just as smart, important, and capable as the general education students. She has made her mark by teaching others that there does not need to be a divider between the two. The affect that that has on the children is more apparent than many realize.
Thinking is education. It opens the doors to ones mind. The importance of education has been proven to be a prerequisite for the functioning of any society. Not everyone is fit to be a teacher; it is not just about teaching children abc's and 123's. A teacher must be equipped to handle all that comes with the job, for the importance of education goes beyond the concept of being literate. Knowledge is power, and in order for the students of today to be successful in the future, the importance of education needs to be instilled in children from an early age.