Teachers know that the best
learning occurs when everyone is actively engaged in rigorous content that is
accessible to all of them. Good teachers
know how to make that happen. A teacher
does not only teach math to the best math students. There are also times when a student learns
better from another student. Kids have
ways of talking to other kids that make it more understandable and the material
less intimidating.
In a classroom, there are all
different types of learners with strengths and weaknesses. Educators have a clear knowledge of their
students and how to use a student’s strengths to develop their weaknesses. For example, a student might be strong in
math but not in interpersonal skills.
Therefore, a teacher could pair that student with a group of highly
interpersonal but weaker math students and have them work through problems
together. Anyone who has ever had to
teach something knows that you learn it even better when you have to teach
it. All in the group benefit.
True educators find out what
the strengths are in each student and make sure that those strengths are
brought to light and utilized to benefit everyone. Jonny might need help from Susie in spelling,
but then he teaches her how to record her story on the computer the next
day.
It seems to me the same would
hold true on an athletic team. Coaches
are teachers of a sport and the skills that go along with that sport. Coaches know the strengths and weaknesses of
their players. Yet in my experience many
coaches spend more time with the players with more skills then less
skills. I have seen this divide teams on
many occasions when both my children played “elite” sports.
Then people are surprised when
they see teams and players in a dysfunctional setting. We try to avoid this everyday in the
classroom.
Kathleen Spring
Second grade special
education teacher, 15 years classroom experience
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