Make the Most of Yourself

Thank goodness it’s Friday, really. At least for me it’s been a long week. I had testing, essays due, and events to attend on top of everyday class and homework loads. It’s just good to be able to greet Friday and the weekend. I’m sitting here typing, still lying in bed, with a huge cup of green tea next to me. The sun has the potential to greet me this morning but I guess it isn't trying hard enough to get out and hail the day. Sounds like me! I don’t blame it… Funny that I will be talking about making the most of yourself and I'm too lazy to get out of bed... Oh well!

Where to begin… Wednesday in my TCE class (Teaching and Counseling Education) some students were assigned to present their research project. As mentioned in my intro I am/was researching Dyslexia and Dysgraphia. For the class, there isn't a final however we have to write a seven to ten-paged (I know, I went over! There were just so many interesting things that I couldn't stop writing!) paper on our research topic and also create a lesson plan. Then the fun part is we get to teach the class. The lesson plan has to exemplify differentiated learning instruction, be appealing and interesting as well as keep my classmate’s attention focused. It’s a little bit of a challenge but it should be fun! I haven’t decided what I want my lesson to look like yet (college procrastination at its finest again) but I know that I will definitely not have a problem keeping my peers focused. I’ll dance in front of the class if that’s what it takes.

There were three students that presented this last Wednesday. Their topics were ADHD, multiple intelligences, and bullying. All of them did an excellent and wonderful job; each presentation was well thought out and invoked either emotion or deep thinking within myself and my classmates. They are also good things to watch for in a classroom. The classmate who spoke on ADHD brought up many important points. In one of her activities she asked the class to list five behaviors or labels associated with ADHD individuals. After we made a list different table groups read them. They were mostly similar: Has a lot of energy, wild in the classroom, needs extra help in the back, doesn't know appropriate classroom behavior, medication is often prescribed, etc. My classmate that was instructing us pointed out that all of these connotations were negative. It was a good point to address! As teachers we cannot enter a classroom already having preconceived notions of certain students. It will hinder learner and only deplete the purpose of being in a classroom. My older brother in high school was a slacker. As far as myself, I was not. But when I would go into the classroom with a teacher that he had previously I would automatically be labeled as a slacker as well. Often times I would work twice as hard as other students to do just as well because the teacher wouldn't call on me in class or be interested in my contributions. I had no problem working harder if that’s what I needed to do, but just having that label before even entering the classroom on a daily basis really hurt my feelings. This is on a smaller scale too, I can’t imagine how a student might feel if they automatically get labeled upon being a part of that class. It’s not fair to the student or the classroom as a whole. For all the teacher knows that student might have the most intellectual being sitting in their class but they don’t care enough to get to know them as an individual because their IEP (Individualized Education Program: a file that is created by past educators and professionals that diagnose a student’s strengths and weaknesses in the class in order to encourage success on the teachers part. It basically tells each teacher that has a student with this what works and doesn't work for that student) says they like to stare off out the window sometimes and become distracted. Teachers need to take the time to know and understand their students.

My classmate went on to explain that there are three different types of ADHD or sub-types  They don’t always mean that a student will be hyper either. Some students with ADHD just get easily distracted, don’t think as quickly as others, and tend not to become involved in the classroom. We were divided into three groups and given a scenario. We then had to then explain what might be best for the individual based on their classroom strengths. The one that my group received was a girl who often didn't involve herself in class but when she did she always had something very insightful to include in discussion. She had ADHD but she was by no means hyper or crazy like society has stereotyped these kids to be. From this lesson I learned it’s important to remember that ALL students are different. Each of them has different strengths to bring into the classroom. If we as educators can honor those strengths and use them for the benefit of the whole class the learning environment will not only be a more positive one but the ability for more learning to occur is a higher possibility. Each child has something to bring to the table. If you highlight those the student will be grateful and more willing to learn as well as, maybe that student has something for the whole class to learn. As educators we need to remember that we should ALWAYS be learning!

Learning is good! Even as an adult! I’m not just saying that because I’m biased about knowledge either…

High school was a difficult time for me. As far as classes and my education went it was, for the most part, seamless and put together. (I forgot to mention in my intro that I love education and learning so much that I went to college for my last two years of high school.) But, my life outside of class was hectic. The point of this little ramble is that my dad would always write me awesome quotes early in the morning then post them on my door or put them on my backpack. He might also leave an envelope with my name on it, on the piano by the front door so I would grab it on my way out. Inside always seemed to be the perfect thing to say for that day. One morning (and I still have the quote on the front of my binder) he left me one that said, “The best thing that you can do for the world is make the most of yourself!” In my opinion, in order to make the most of yourself you need to keep on learning. It’s better for you AND everyone around you AND the world! It’s a bold statement but it’s very true; make the best for and of yourself and the world will be a better place. Opportunities will present themselves too… Overall it’s just a good thing to keep in mind!

As a broad conclusion; keep learning to make the most of your world, don’t stereotype (especially students), and get to know people before you think you know them (it’s important to get to know your students, I will say this a lot on the future)!

¡Adios, mis compañeros y sigue sonriendo!