Reading about working the gap and observing a first hand account of the gap being worked is quite different. As I read Bill Ayers months ago, I envisioned these fantastical ideas that I would implement into my future classroom. Not to say that I will not still strive to meet these ideas, but as I begin to see the "real deal" happening I have a greater appreciation for the urgency of closing the gap.I witness my cooperating teacher of 26 years teach a class of 30 students; students full of uniqueness across the board. Of the 30 students, 16 are ESL, 5 are ELL, 2 are ADHD and 1 is autistic. The culture in this classroom is amazing. There are students from Ethiopia, Japan and Mexico. The range of ability is also vast. Some students can read whole books well above their grade level and others can barely read at all. My cooperating teacher is graceful in so many ways, however her frustration is sometimes palpable. The struggle to get through any lesson where each and every student is on track seems unrealizable. Teaching this class is demanding. I am beginning to understand that even the simplest of tactics is important.
As I read Ayers initially, it was like watching a parachuter from the safety of the ground. Now, as I live in his words, it is like being the parachuter-free falling to Earth. The emotions are that much more intense and so much more is on the line. I enjoy and value the diversity in this classroom and I welcome the challenge, but I have so many questions.
For now, my biggest question is: How will I be able to best teach a group of diverse students that need a slower pace, when I have a curriculum timeline to adhere to?
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ReplyDeleteYour analogy of the parachute really spoke to me. It captures what I think a lot of us Teacher Candidates are feeling: these ideas look and sound so amazing when we read about them, but as we experience day-to-day classroom life, we see exactly what implementing them in our classrooms could entail. Probably more than we thought originally!
ReplyDeleteP.S. I posted this and then realized I had a typo...which is why it say "This post has been removed by the author." Still figuring out this technology stuff...is there a way to edit comments after they have been posted?
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ReplyDeleteWow! It sounds as though you really are in a unique position to see an accomplished teacher do amazing things in a challenging environment. I think your experience raises the point that even the best teacher is going to have classrooms in which bridging the gap for every student is just not going to happen. I think Ayers addresses many contingencies and shows us ways to to reach difficult to reach kids, but I have to remember that he went through many a struggle and tough experience to come to the place where he speaks from in his book. And as you are seeing with your teacher, some of these struggles never cease to be part of the teaching experience.
ReplyDeleteYour question is such a great one and such a difficult one to answer. I often wonder this myself; I want to be the best teacher I can be and reach as many students as I can but how do you do that when there are so many levels the students are at. I think that finding a way to reach a majority of the students at one time and then spend the extra time with those who need extra help. I know this sounds great in theory and will be much harder to actually do. As a teacher the best I can do is strive to reach as many of my students as I can.
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