For my reading blog I read Chapter 12 from Classrooms the Work by Allington and "Every Child a reader: What one Teacher can do" by Pinnell. I found the later article so encouraging because I feel that so many educators and teachers in training can become overwhelmed with the assessment geared, observation laden style of schooling we've fallen into. I can only hope to someday have a classroom like that of Carol's in the article. I feel like it really spurs us all on because it reminds us to stick to our guns about helping students and wanting them to learn. Too often and too easily do teachers fall into a rut and look towards worksheets etc for lessons, instead of drawing on inquiry and engagement. I especially like her point about taking time to create a community. For some students school is there on area to feel safe and in control, creating a community helps all students to feel welcome and involved in their education.
What are good ways to not become overwhelmed and fatigued by the position?
I read the Pinnell article as well, and I loved it!! I wrote about it in my blog for this week, and mentioned that I aspire to educate like the teacher in the article. Teachers get so involved in preparing for standarded tests that they don't spend as much time tailoring our teaching to our students' needs. Since you and I will be special education teachers, it is important that we model our teaching methods after teachers, such as in the one featured in the Pinnell article.
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