Monday, April 14, 2014

The Challenges of When to Model for Learning

One thing that I am constantly reminded of in my teaching is the importance of modeling, modeling, modeling for my students.  I have found that it is easy to forget and so easy to assume that my students will get the idea and we can move on.  After all they are in fifth grade!  But on the other hand, they are only ten and eleven years old... still kids at heart and mind (and should be).

Why am I finding myself thinking this?  I feel that it is the large amount of content that I feel pressured to cover in a given year.  Having now taught in my own classroom for almost two years, I am amazed at how 180 school days does not seem like enough to get through the pages of standards (which seems so doable before the kids show up at the start of the school year).  That leaves me, at times in a rush, thinking that my kids will get the idea and we can continue on to something more challenging.

When I go to assess their learning progress, I am reminded of how I may not have modeled or modeled enough for them to be successful and feel successful.  I then have to take a step back and model the expectation and learning for my students.  I am finding that some classes need modeling in some areas, but not as much in other areas.  How challenging it is to determine what each class needs from year to year!  There truely isn't a "cookie cutter" school year for a teacher!

One thing that I have recenctly realized is that my current class has trouble with their at home reading.  I don't think they have the motivation on their own, an at home model, or perhapes a real world example of how important reading is in their future adult worlds.  I have decided that I am going to complete a reading log, along with my students, to track my at home reading this week.  I am hopeful that by having this log posted in the front of my room all week, my kids will begin to see the value of reading and how/why adults read daily.

What are some ways you are reminded to model for your students during the school year?

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