Week 6 Check-in Reflection

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 The third week of practicum has ended and I have learned so much from my students thus far during these three weeks. This week's weekly check-in prompt focuses on students and their families, and the challenges they may face. As well as how our students and their families are differently impacted by these challenges? What helps my students and their families begin to address those challenges? What opportunities resulted from those challenges? What strengths did my students and their families show in addressing those challenges?

Southside Middle School as a whole falls below the bottom 50% of the Indiana state average of literacy, and math proficiency skills. Their test scores are also below the bottom 50% of all schools in Indiana when it comes to proficiency. I have noticed with students in the two classes that I work with, my students have very low reading and comprehension skills when it comes to understanding what may be displayed on a PowerPoint. I have also noticed with several students that their literacy skills are several grades below their actual grade level. Students struggle to put together a dramatically correct sentence, or spell words. Southside has a higher student population of minority students than most schools in Indiana. Over 80% of students at Southside qualify for free and reduced lunch. Families and caregivers of these students may be struggling to bring in a substantial income. 

Students in my classes have not mentioned their family or caregiver dynamics much, I can tell many students would prefer not to bring it up in the classroom. One or two students have mentioned they can get help with their homework from a parent, or have a mom and dad at home, yet I am unsure about the rest of my students. Many of the students I have noticed do not have the best hygiene, which can be partially due to going through puberty but also factors in their home environment. I cannot really say for sure how my student's families are handling the challenges their students are facing because I do not know much about their home life situations. I know that there are a few students who tell me they get little sleep each night and they are always tired in the second period, as well as several students have more than a handful of pets in their house. 

Hopefully, I will start learning more about students' families/home life and be able to think of ways that students can work on improving the challenges they are facing on their own if they do not have help, and if they do then find ways that their family/caregivers can help them. In the classroom, I help students who struggle with reading, read a passage and then have the student re-read it, as well as helping students spell words and then having the student write them down. If the student needs to use the word again, I ask the student what they remember from writing it the first time, and if they get stuck, I help them spell it again. Families/ and caregivers can use time available to them to help their children/grandchildren, etc. with reading since literacy levels are so low.

Comments

  1. FrogteachOctober 3, 2022 at 7:23 AM

    You have the unique position of first hand observation and data to support the high need for a school/home/community connection.

    ReplyDelete
  2. JORGE GUERRAOctober 6, 2022 at 5:31 PM

    This is the HLP comment: I really liked your infographic! I think that it held a lot of information and I personally think that adapting lessons for diverse learning speeds and overall needs is something that can get quite hard. In terms of individualizing lessons its not something that I have had the opportunity to do yet so I think this is definitely something that I need to work on too! I liked that you included what you could observe in your mentor teacher understanding their students needs, and how they would adapt their class to those needs. Finally I think that you will probably nail it when you get to teach a lesson, but I think that you the time you have to learn about your students and observing can actually come in quite handy for when you plan your actual lesson!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Alyssa TaylorOctober 8, 2022 at 12:49 PM

    I don't know where I respond to the HLP so this is also that comment. I liked how visually appealing your infographic is! It was easy to read and not too much of a sensory overload. I think that HLP 14 is one that I can probably improve upon as well. Good start so far! Keep doing what you're doing and you'll achieve success in HLP 14 in no time.

    ReplyDelete

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