Journal Entries of a TIC (teaching in training)

I am currently attending University in a post-degree program to become a secondary school teacher. Along the way, I am discovering things about others, and myself that really reflect on this profession.

Today’s topic: Students with learning disabilities.

We (myself and my peers in the program) are all taking the same courses, obviously. On Thursday during lunch break, 5 of us sat together and began discussing which classes we liked, which ones we did not, homework, etc. Sounds like normal stuff right? Wrong. We eventually began discussing a class that is teaching us how to educate students with learning disabilities as well as gifted students. This is a brand new course, never put in the curriculum before. Considering more students than ever are displaying learning disabilities (physical and mental), this is an important topic to consider. Future teachers need to be made aware and educated on how best to deal with student with disabilities.

I won’t get into too much detail, but one of the things we recently learned is that many students with disabilities never get the help they need because they are put on waiting lists for resources because funds are limited. Teachers are responsible for not only recognizing a students’ needs, but also in assisting them to make sure their needs are met. It can be very overwhelming as a teacher can be responsible for up to 30 students per class, for a potential of more than 100 students in a day. The trick is finding a balance between assisting those who are considered average learners and those who are not, in order to give equal assistance to all. We were discussing how to make sure everyone’s needs are getting met when one of my peers said something that really disturbed me.

I will not mention names, that’s not fair or necessary. It doesn’t matter who said it, it’s the fact that it was said. In trying to determine how to assist each student’s particular needs, this one peer said that it would be easier to turn away from the ones who didn’t need that much “obvious” help rather than trying to deal with it because it was too overwhelming and they would probably get put on a waiting list anyway.

…

This did not sit well with me.

I was immediately ashamed for this person that they were coming into this profession with that kind of thinking. If you don’t plan on giving equal opportunities to everyone and you are not prepared to work hard to make sure everyone succeeds, then why would you become a teacher? No one has ever said that it’s going to be easy. It’s hard work and it’s a struggle, like any other job. But I believe it is THE MOST rewarding job a person can have. That being said, you are responsible for assisting students’ educational development and you should only have their best interests at heart.

The peer was embarrassed and tried to laugh it off but another peer said they were "disturbed,” and two others remained silent. I spoke up (no surprise, I’m not one to keep my opinion to myself) and stated that approach was the wrong way to enter this profession and that it was the exact opposite of what we were being taught to do.

We kind of let the conversation drop because it could have gotten very heated, but I can’t get it out of my mind. I can’t help but think, what if that were my kid? What if my kid was struggling in school and a teacher decided to “overlook” their learning difficulties because it was easier on them? It’s just awful; it makes me feel sick inside. I would be so furious with that teacher, who chose selfishness over my child’s right to learn. As a teacher, I believe you have to approach each student as if they are YOUR child. You want each one to succeed and get there as easily as possible. They aren’t yours biologically, but why would that matter? They are all there to learn and you are there to guide them and help them in everyway that you can.

Growing up, I struggled with math. If I didn’t have teachers who went out of their way to give me extra help, I never would have graduated. My brother is dyslexic and school was a major struggle for him. Without his resource teachers, he would not have graduated elementary school (or at least not with a lot of difficulty), never mind high school to become the successful, educated person he is today. I myself have worked with students’ who have had learning disabilities and I know how hard it is for them. To be so frustrated at yourself for not understanding something that everyone else seems to get “so easily.” But watching their faces when they figure it out, that “ah-ha” moment is priceless. It makes the extra time, the many explanations given in as many different ways as you can think of, totally worth it. That is what teaching is all about.

I liked this person, but now I’ve completely re-evaluated their worth and my respect for them has dropped considerably. In fact, I can’t help wondering why they got into this profession if they aren’t planning to give it their all. Is it summers off? Did they think it would be easy? What is in it for them if not to help everyone achieve higher learning for all of their students? I’m so disappointed because this gives teachers a bad rep. My only hope now is that they learn something over the next year to change their way of thinking for the better.

“The best teachers teach from the heart, not from the book.” -Unknown