I just read a very awesome quote... "part of education means teaching a child to be comfortable with things they are uncomfortable with" - Now, if you don't already know me, know I am a teacher - ALWAYS a teacher. I love this quote because in this decade and probably in the previous, I would say, it has been very "envogue" in the educational world to "teach to the child", meaning that each child is different and the teacher should change / structure her approach based upon that student. Now, do NOT misunderstand me - I am a FIRM believer in learning what makes each child in my class tick! That's the BEST way to educate them! However, I think - like with anything - "teach to the child" needs BALANCE. This has some dangers, one of which the above quote refers to.
One little disclaimer - I have no statistics. I have no facts. I only have my experience and opinions here. I am no expert. I am a teacher of 23 years and a mother / stepmother / grandmother to 6 great kids, so I have a bit of experience to draw from and that is what this is borne out of. Okay, on to my opinion... :)
If we allow children to only do things they are comfortable with, are we really teaching them? Let me paint a picture. I am a music teacher and if I have a child in my class who detests singing, do I just never ask them to do that because they are uncomfortable? Nope. Again, don't misunderstand me. I don't shove singing down my students' throats but they do learn very soon after entering my doorway that I am the teacher and I expect cooperation from them. The balance I have is that along with learning they must cooperate, they also learn that I LOVE THEM AND I AM INTERESTED IN THEM AS HUMAN BEINGS. I've had a kiddo start singing for me merely because I took an interest in his Minecraft game. Did I do it manipulatively? Nope. I just suck at Minecraft and asked him a question so I could feel not quite so dumb. But from that point on - he did WHATEVER I asked him to do without one iota of an attitude. Was he worried? Yup. Was he nervously looking around? Yup. Do I think I caused him a little stress? Yup. Do I feel badly about that? Nope. The moment for me in these situations is realizing that children also need to learn to deal with and overcome STRESS. Bailing them out of each and every situation because it's uncomfortable isn't going to teach them anything. Now, before you think me cold and mean, just know that my classroom is also a safe place. There is never - and I mean NEVER any kind of making fun, teasing or belittling of someone. Never. So, even though that kiddo was stressed, he received thunderous applause, hoots and hollers and a big grin from his teacher and if his slumped shoulders and big sigh and slow smile is any indication, he overcame that stress and I believe was better for it. Next question....
If we teach to a child's learning style and that child's learning style only, are we preparing them for a world that is diverse? There's a popular quote by Michael J. Fox - "If a child can't learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn." - Now, there is some MAJOR wisdom here, folks. The danger is when this has no balance. Once again, here's an example - students with dyslexia - how do we equip them? I am NOT a dyslexia expert, so this example is something of an outsider looking in. Years ago, I saw a school with a program that students were placed in from the moment they were diagnosed - a pull out program. The students had special testing, everything was read TO them and they never worked alone. The reasoning given was that the students couldn't learn in the traditional classroom, so the school was "teaching to the child" by doing things differently so they could learn. While this may seem solid educational practice, it had become a place where the children grew stagnant and there wasn't growth. I subbed in this school and the students with dyslexia refused to do any work on their own. They demanded that all material be read to them and threatened me (the substitute) with being fired if I didn't comply. "Teaching to the child" had become poisonous to these students' learning. A few years later I was introduced to another program geared for dyslexia called Take Flight. The thing I love about this program is that the students are given tools they can use independently to learn. They are still taught in a separate classroom to accommodate their learning needs but the program lasts two years and they "graduate" from that program and are placed back in the traditional classroom equipped with tools to help them succeed. While I'm sure there are struggles and draw-backs as ANY program will have - to me, this is a much better example of teaching to the child but then equipping them to live in a world that will sometimes expect them to do it another way. Are these kiddos nervous upon entering the classroom again? Yes, probably so but again, just rescuing a child from those nervous feelings isn't always teaching them.
Final question - isn't it cruel to know a child is nervous and uncomfortable and do nothing to ease it? Well, let's discuss that, shall we? I am an adult and I have an anxiety disorder. I was never sent to the doctor as a child, it wasn't diagnosed until I was in my 30's. I vividly remember the debilitating and paralyzing fear I dealt with as a young child up through my teenage years and the panic attacks I dealt with on into my young adulthood. My mother had the same problem, also undiagnosed. She understood what I went through and I think felt some sort of compassion for me, even though she didn't really know how to articulate it. When I had times of fear and expressed it, I was merely freed from whatever obligation or responsibility I had taken on. I remember being 14 and my father was so angry that my mom had once again "let me off the hook" and he stood in the living room and said, "you are afraid of EVERYTHING." Now, my dad was not an abusive guy so while it may seem unkind him saying that to me, it was a defining moment in my life. I realized fear had taken hold of me in a strangulating kind of way. Even though it was many more years before I could say I had overcome many of my issues, it still was a moment I'll never forget because he KNEW I was uncomfortable. He KNEW I was nervous. He KNEW his words hurt a little, but .... I needed to hear it. I have a daughter and she has the same anxiety disorder - it was just diagnosed last year. Of course, my husband and I are dealing with it differently. She has appropriate medication, a licensed family therapist and accommodations when she needs them. However, we just had a visit the other day and I had to have a "momma moment" (that's when I put my foot down) with her. She started to talk about not doing something she'd committed to because of her anxiety and I had to step in and explain that I understood she had an issue and we were pursuing treatment for it, but that did not mean she wouldn't continue to be a productive member of our household and that meant being committed when you gave your word. Now, again, lest you think me cold and unkind - please know that this was something I knew she could do and it wasn't debilitating - she was simply uncomfortable and wanted that feeling to go away. So, I addressed it. Sometimes being uncomfortable is exactly what the doctor ordered. ;) Are there things I don't expect her to do simply because of the level of anxiety she would have to deal with? Absolutely! It's all about GROWTH - tackling it a little at a time but still tackling it.
My final thoughts... Getting to know the child and their individual needs is VITAL to effective teaching and I firmly believe that. I love being a teacher and I love being a mother and I hope and pray my students - even the ones I mother - learn from me in some way. I would just like to leave with this thought - teaching a child that the world will always change for them is unrealistic and irresponsible. We MUST teach our children to be uncomfortable and still be okay - THAT is equipping them for success.
One little disclaimer - I have no statistics. I have no facts. I only have my experience and opinions here. I am no expert. I am a teacher of 23 years and a mother / stepmother / grandmother to 6 great kids, so I have a bit of experience to draw from and that is what this is borne out of. Okay, on to my opinion... :)
If we allow children to only do things they are comfortable with, are we really teaching them? Let me paint a picture. I am a music teacher and if I have a child in my class who detests singing, do I just never ask them to do that because they are uncomfortable? Nope. Again, don't misunderstand me. I don't shove singing down my students' throats but they do learn very soon after entering my doorway that I am the teacher and I expect cooperation from them. The balance I have is that along with learning they must cooperate, they also learn that I LOVE THEM AND I AM INTERESTED IN THEM AS HUMAN BEINGS. I've had a kiddo start singing for me merely because I took an interest in his Minecraft game. Did I do it manipulatively? Nope. I just suck at Minecraft and asked him a question so I could feel not quite so dumb. But from that point on - he did WHATEVER I asked him to do without one iota of an attitude. Was he worried? Yup. Was he nervously looking around? Yup. Do I think I caused him a little stress? Yup. Do I feel badly about that? Nope. The moment for me in these situations is realizing that children also need to learn to deal with and overcome STRESS. Bailing them out of each and every situation because it's uncomfortable isn't going to teach them anything. Now, before you think me cold and mean, just know that my classroom is also a safe place. There is never - and I mean NEVER any kind of making fun, teasing or belittling of someone. Never. So, even though that kiddo was stressed, he received thunderous applause, hoots and hollers and a big grin from his teacher and if his slumped shoulders and big sigh and slow smile is any indication, he overcame that stress and I believe was better for it. Next question....
If we teach to a child's learning style and that child's learning style only, are we preparing them for a world that is diverse? There's a popular quote by Michael J. Fox - "If a child can't learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn." - Now, there is some MAJOR wisdom here, folks. The danger is when this has no balance. Once again, here's an example - students with dyslexia - how do we equip them? I am NOT a dyslexia expert, so this example is something of an outsider looking in. Years ago, I saw a school with a program that students were placed in from the moment they were diagnosed - a pull out program. The students had special testing, everything was read TO them and they never worked alone. The reasoning given was that the students couldn't learn in the traditional classroom, so the school was "teaching to the child" by doing things differently so they could learn. While this may seem solid educational practice, it had become a place where the children grew stagnant and there wasn't growth. I subbed in this school and the students with dyslexia refused to do any work on their own. They demanded that all material be read to them and threatened me (the substitute) with being fired if I didn't comply. "Teaching to the child" had become poisonous to these students' learning. A few years later I was introduced to another program geared for dyslexia called Take Flight. The thing I love about this program is that the students are given tools they can use independently to learn. They are still taught in a separate classroom to accommodate their learning needs but the program lasts two years and they "graduate" from that program and are placed back in the traditional classroom equipped with tools to help them succeed. While I'm sure there are struggles and draw-backs as ANY program will have - to me, this is a much better example of teaching to the child but then equipping them to live in a world that will sometimes expect them to do it another way. Are these kiddos nervous upon entering the classroom again? Yes, probably so but again, just rescuing a child from those nervous feelings isn't always teaching them.
Final question - isn't it cruel to know a child is nervous and uncomfortable and do nothing to ease it? Well, let's discuss that, shall we? I am an adult and I have an anxiety disorder. I was never sent to the doctor as a child, it wasn't diagnosed until I was in my 30's. I vividly remember the debilitating and paralyzing fear I dealt with as a young child up through my teenage years and the panic attacks I dealt with on into my young adulthood. My mother had the same problem, also undiagnosed. She understood what I went through and I think felt some sort of compassion for me, even though she didn't really know how to articulate it. When I had times of fear and expressed it, I was merely freed from whatever obligation or responsibility I had taken on. I remember being 14 and my father was so angry that my mom had once again "let me off the hook" and he stood in the living room and said, "you are afraid of EVERYTHING." Now, my dad was not an abusive guy so while it may seem unkind him saying that to me, it was a defining moment in my life. I realized fear had taken hold of me in a strangulating kind of way. Even though it was many more years before I could say I had overcome many of my issues, it still was a moment I'll never forget because he KNEW I was uncomfortable. He KNEW I was nervous. He KNEW his words hurt a little, but .... I needed to hear it. I have a daughter and she has the same anxiety disorder - it was just diagnosed last year. Of course, my husband and I are dealing with it differently. She has appropriate medication, a licensed family therapist and accommodations when she needs them. However, we just had a visit the other day and I had to have a "momma moment" (that's when I put my foot down) with her. She started to talk about not doing something she'd committed to because of her anxiety and I had to step in and explain that I understood she had an issue and we were pursuing treatment for it, but that did not mean she wouldn't continue to be a productive member of our household and that meant being committed when you gave your word. Now, again, lest you think me cold and unkind - please know that this was something I knew she could do and it wasn't debilitating - she was simply uncomfortable and wanted that feeling to go away. So, I addressed it. Sometimes being uncomfortable is exactly what the doctor ordered. ;) Are there things I don't expect her to do simply because of the level of anxiety she would have to deal with? Absolutely! It's all about GROWTH - tackling it a little at a time but still tackling it.
My final thoughts... Getting to know the child and their individual needs is VITAL to effective teaching and I firmly believe that. I love being a teacher and I love being a mother and I hope and pray my students - even the ones I mother - learn from me in some way. I would just like to leave with this thought - teaching a child that the world will always change for them is unrealistic and irresponsible. We MUST teach our children to be uncomfortable and still be okay - THAT is equipping them for success.