As a reading teacher, I teach students different ways to
figure out how to read unfamiliar words. For example, say the beginning sound,
and slowly read through the word using sounds you know. Another example would
be to skip the word and read the rest of the sentence, and think about what
would make sense. There are other strategies I teach my students to help them
be successful. I always use the phrase “good readers use….to figure out words.”
Just as I instruct my students to use different strategies, it is very
important that teachers use a variety of instructional strategies or methods
when teaching.
Teaching a variety of instructional strategies, helps the
teacher identify or discover which ones work best for the diverse learners in
the classroom. Once the teacher identifies the strategies, lessons and
activities can be planned to meet the individual needs of all students and help
them be successful at learning the information being taught. The ultimate goal for the targeted instruction
is to help students achieve learning goal that will prepare them for the
future.
Technology plays a huge role in our society. Our students
use technology on a daily basis, whether it’s at home or school. Technology can
be a major factor in engaging and motivating our students to learn. Most
students use it for gaming and connecting with friends on social media. It is
the teacher’s responsibility to design lessons to integrate technology into all
subject areas, to prepare them for college and career readiness. Examples of
integration would be virtual field trips and communicating with other
classrooms around the world through Skype.
As a teacher in the 21st century classroom, I
have a responsibility to educate myself with technology tools and resources, to
be able to integrate it into my classroom. I need to create an environment that
embraces technology, and not shun it because of my deficiency. I owe my
students the very best education that I can give them. I want them to be good
digital citizens, create things, and help solve real world problems. Through
the use of technology, I can bring exciting experiences into the classroom,
without leaving the room.
