Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Leanna Traill's Quote
I strongly agree with the quote written by Leanna Traill on page eleven in Chapter 1 called “Culture and Cultural Diversity.” I believe that children need to feel respected and valued in order for children to learn, especially for ELL students. They particularly need to feel that their teacher respects and values their cultural background from the very beginning of the school year. This will enable them to be comfortable enough to open up and achieve that feeling of enthusiasm to want to learn the English language. Teachers never want students in their classroom to feel different or isolated just because they come from another country or because they speak a different language. Feelings like these can turn the student away from wanting to learn the language because of emotional damage. As a student teacher, I give my best in effectively creating an organized, child-centered classroom atmosphere that is welcoming and positive for all my students. Leanna Traill supports my idea by stating, “When attention is given to creating a classroom environment and organization where it happens, the conditions for learning are established.” Therefore, a positive learning environment is crucial to establish for our ELL students' language development.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Athena, I completely agree with what you are saying. Children do need to feel respected and valued and for some this may only come from the school environment. Children are people to, just a bit smaller. They know when they are being talked down to and they know when they are not appreciated. Thus, I believe part of the responsibility of being a teacher is to create an environment where students feel safe and comfortable and thus are free to open up, allowing for the optimal creativity and performance from each and every student.
Although it is important to do this for all students it is especially so for ELL students. They are at somewhat of a disadvantage compared to the rest of the class for they are not as proficient in using the English language. Thus they need a little extra attention and a little more consideration. If they come to school and feel isolated and like an outcast, the barrier between them and the rest of the class just grows that much larger. It is important for the teacher to create an environment where ELL students can not only begin to master the English language but become more involved with other aspects of the school day, such as interacting with other students.
I, too, believe one of the most important tasks a teacher has is to create a comfortable learning environment in which all of the students feel at ease to actively participate and feel a part of the group. The teacher sets the tone and mood in his/her own classroom; if a teacher transmits feelings of negativity or doesn’t set the climate for acceptance in his/her classroom than the students will not feel comfortable being themselves. Especially with the case of ELL students in a classroom, it is a teacher’s responsibility to ensure that they feel as comfortable and at ease to create a suitable learning environment that lends itself to these students actively participating and becoming self-sufficient in their worlds. A teacher’s goal, in my opinion, is to replicate the sense of a family-like structure inside the classroom, one where no matter what flaws or shortcomings the members may have everyone accepts and loves each other for who they are.
Post a Comment