Boys and Girls Club Wk 3

This week at the BGC had its ups and downs. To my dismay, the students all had testing the first day I was there this week. I wasn’t able to get to work with my students on our super hero newspaper. On the other hand, it was a positive because I got to know the other students a lot better. I realized that the BGC may lack some organization with what they have planned for the students and a lack of cohesiveness between the director and the staff. Upon arriving to the BCG, the director explained to us that the students would go over the tests before taking them (they have been studying for the test all month). She asked for me to read out the questions and the answer selections to the students because some of the first graders still can’t read well when they officially took the test. She made it very clear that we were not able to give the students answers or hint and the correct answer when they took the test. Unfortunately we were not able to start the test review on time due to the tests not being ready. The instructor of the first grade group told me to just review some spelling words for them for the time being. As time passed, it turned into a math review. The students were putting their heads down and some were falling asleep. I frustrated me that I was not able to work with my students for the time being while the students were left to do nothing.

I was really glad to help with the testing process by reading out the questions for the students who were not able to read on their own. Doing so helped me to get an idea of where each child was at instructionally. To my dismay, after the test concluded, the instructor went over the student’s answers to see which ones they got wrong. She would quickly give them the answer to change rather than explaining to them what the question was asking to they could guess again for themselves. I think that this may be due to the lack of training some of the staff has when working with students and children. Although it isn’t helping the students learn the material, the BGC will benefit from their grant.

What occured this week at the club largely ties in with the article "The culturally Responsive Teacher". In the article, it explains that teachers should not expect their low income or culturally diverse students to do poorly in class. A lot of teachers see students who speak a different language, come from a rough neighborhood, or may not have parental support as somehow having sometype of disability. They set low expectations for students instead of challenging them mentally which is the only way the students can grow and learn. Mentally immobolizing students like givingthem the answers to a test that they have studied for is only hurting them in the long run. It is setting them up to not be able to reach their fullest potential and also keeps them from believing they can achieve greater if they are never challenged.

As a teach, I plan on getting to know my students personally, how they are able to learn, and incorporate that into my instruction. It is importnat to know your students personally so that you do not assume what they can and cannot do based upon vague knowledge acquired about them.