Most Challenging Experience
There have been many challenging experiences I have had. First experience is, getting into second semester and still teaching students their basic sounds or letters. To be more specific, with the dual language program the classes move so quickly and they focus on certain content that the students lack the main material. Second experience is, getting into second semester and having students not being able to write their names. To give you more information, during the month of February I worked with a student named Gerardo. Gerardo didn't know how to spell his name, but after writing it with him on white boards over and over again and putting the letters into sequence, he is able to write his name. We are half way through school having to play catch up because these student's don't get enough of English. The only English they may get is what is spoken or taught at school, which is a couple of hours during the morning or afternoon. These are the many challenging experiences I have had.
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Best Experience
For many reasons my best experience would be everyday I am with my students. First, you always learn something new. To be more specific, recently a student of mine named Drew is able to write pages about the many presidents and their lives. It surprises me, because he knows more than I do and I took government and have been in school for 13 years. Just watching these kids grow everyday has opened my eyes to realizing they know more than we think. Second, they always brighten my day. To be more specific, they are kindergartners so they love to be active and tell jokes. I just love how easy it is for me to understand them. These are the many reasons my best experience would be everyday I am with my students.
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How Experiences Have Changed Me
For many reasons these experiences have changed me. First, I came into this thinking everyone was the same. To give you more information, after working with Priscilla and Olivia I learned that even if they are blood people have a different perspective of things. Second, my attitude toward the dual language program. To be more specific, students who are primarily Spanish speaking may have English spoken or taught at school, which is a couple of hours during the morning or afternoon. So many students are behind not knowing their basic sounds or letters, because they are focusing primarily on getting both languages taught in a short amount of time. These are the reasons these experiences have changed me.
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Advice I have to Give
There is a lot of advice I have to give. First, not every student is the same. To give you more information, this year I had two different classes. My first semester class I had a little girl named Priscilla, and in my second semester class I had Priscilla's sister Olivia. They both struggled with similar things, reading and sounds. As I worked with Olivia, I tried to teach her the same way I did Priscilla. As a couple of days went by, I knew the material was not sticking with Olivia. Once I worked with Olivia in a different way than I did her sister, she began to learn some of the material. Second, take a deep breath. To be more specific, it is hard trying to teach someone who barely knows English how to read. You expect them to pick up the material just as fast as everyone else at times, and they can't. They are getting just as frustrated as you are. All you can do is sit back, take a deep breath and focus on the child. They learn best when you are at your best. This is the advice I have to give.
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