Comments on: Self-Sufficient Students http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/self-sufficient-students/ Providing HOPE for educators since 2007 Fri, 30 Jul 2010 07:07:56 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Joel http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/self-sufficient-students/#comment-3317 Joel Sun, 18 Jan 2009 22:43:15 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/self-sufficient-students/#comment-3317 Wow! I don't really know how else to respond to the last comment. Very succinct. Wow! I don’t really know how else to respond to the last comment. Very succinct.

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]]> By: Self Sufficiency http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/self-sufficient-students/#comment-3308 Self Sufficiency Sun, 18 Jan 2009 00:14:06 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/self-sufficient-students/#comment-3308 Ummm i'm in a conundrum - sometimes the "go away and find out" method is abit tedious and i'm a big advocate of telling the answer, coupled with the truth and sandwiched around some extra info which i may have. Self sufficiency comes with knowing where to find information, how to find it, and then what to do with it. If you build a good foundation of knowledge which allows them to do that, then you wouldnt need to worry about them bothering you all the time. as for 3 or 4 yr olds... You cant make them self sufficient at that age! c'mon even if the kid is a teenager - the answers you give them and the way you deliver it should a)keep the line of enquiry alive and ultimately b)give them the part they need to finish off what they wanted to know. anyway i say this becuase i was an impatient kid and still am a semi impatient person, one of my best teachers only gave answers and instilled a good ethos of his into me, dont just get an answer, but be able to verify it and test it for your own understanding. Because being given everything on a plate is not the way life works out in the real world but at the same time, when in the company of those who can futher your knowledge, work with them and help them but when it comes to 'do' what you ahve learnt, then the only teacher and verifier of your answer is ultimately yourself. Agree or disagree, but i am always forthright with my answers and this was a real sticking point when i was at school, i hated when the teachers said look it up. Sometimes you just cant find it - and maybe it was the day n time n whatever else but seriously - people ask questions and as a teacher, you should teach. If you refer them to a book or a set of journals etc, then you could very well say that the day is coming sooner where the books and libraries are the knowlege and the place of learning whilst these things called teachers only ever served the purpose of telling the young'un's to go to the place of knowledge. To me, a teacher is the embodiment of learning through others experiance of that information ( by reading the book etc) whilst it is upto the student to once again... rediscover what the teacher conveyed, so that they may too have experience. Ummm i’m in a conundrum – sometimes the “go away and find out” method is abit tedious and i’m a big advocate of telling the answer, coupled with the truth and sandwiched around some extra info which i may have.

Self sufficiency comes with knowing where to find information, how to find it, and then what to do with it. If you build a good foundation of knowledge which allows them to do that, then you wouldnt need to worry about them bothering you all the time.

as for 3 or 4 yr olds… You cant make them self sufficient at that age! c’mon even if the kid is a teenager – the answers you give them and the way you deliver it should a)keep the line of enquiry alive and ultimately b)give them the part they need to finish off what they wanted to know.

anyway i say this becuase i was an impatient kid and still am a semi impatient person, one of my best teachers only gave answers and instilled a good ethos of his into me, dont just get an answer, but be able to verify it and test it for your own understanding. Because being given everything on a plate is not the way life works out in the real world but at the same time, when in the company of those who can futher your knowledge, work with them and help them but when it comes to ‘do’ what you ahve learnt, then the only teacher and verifier of your answer is ultimately yourself.

Agree or disagree, but i am always forthright with my answers and this was a real sticking point when i was at school, i hated when the teachers said look it up. Sometimes you just cant find it – and maybe it was the day n time n whatever else but seriously – people ask questions and as a teacher, you should teach.

If you refer them to a book or a set of journals etc, then you could very well say that the day is coming sooner where the books and libraries are the knowlege and the place of learning whilst these things called teachers only ever served the purpose of telling the young’un’s to go to the place of knowledge.

To me, a teacher is the embodiment of learning through others experiance of that information ( by reading the book etc) whilst it is upto the student to once again… rediscover what the teacher conveyed, so that they may too have experience.

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]]> By: Miss Profe http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/self-sufficient-students/#comment-1343 Miss Profe Sat, 12 Jan 2008 14:02:41 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/self-sufficient-students/#comment-1343 I don't give my students all of the answers. Part of my Spanish teacher persona is to go into over-drive when students ask me how to say this, that and third. It's like I am pre-wired to automatically spew out the answer. However, more and more, when they want to know a word, I sat, "Búscala", which means, "Look it up." They know what to do when I say it. The other challenge is helping them to use a bilingual Spanish-English dictionary corretly; they're coming along. I also encourage other students to share their knowlege. When a student says, "How do I pluralize such and such a word?", I'll throw the question out to the class. At least one student knows the answer. Students are really very good teachers. Anyway, the aforementioned highlight just two things I do to help promote self-reliance, at least in the foreign language classroom. I don’t give my students all of the answers. Part of my Spanish teacher persona is to go into over-drive when students ask me how to say this, that and third. It’s like I am pre-wired to automatically spew out the answer. However, more and more, when they want to know a word, I sat, “Búscala”, which means, “Look it up.” They know what to do when I say it. The other challenge is helping them to use a bilingual Spanish-English dictionary corretly; they’re coming along. I also encourage other students to share their knowlege. When a student says, “How do I pluralize such and such a word?”, I’ll throw the question out to the class. At least one student knows the answer. Students are really very good teachers.

Anyway, the aforementioned highlight just two things I do to help promote self-reliance, at least in the foreign language classroom.

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]]> By: roller coaster teacher http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/self-sufficient-students/#comment-1341 roller coaster teacher Sat, 12 Jan 2008 03:36:11 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/self-sufficient-students/#comment-1341 High-stakes ELA testing next week and practice/review this past week bring this answer - when my 7th grade students ask for help to interpret a word or question or answer choice, I try to explain how they can figure it out, such as using context clues, eliminating choices, etc. After all, it's (mostly) a reading test. I think the principle of self-sufficiency applies in the testing scenario and also in student independent reading. I train students and employ strategies (such as book talks, student reviews) so they learn how to choose good books to read for the sake of enjoyment and learning. I start with our own interests and skills, "make" us share with each other, thus expose us to various genres/subjects. Love your website! High-stakes ELA testing next week and practice/review this past week bring this answer – when my 7th grade students ask for help to interpret a word or question or answer choice, I try to explain how they can figure it out, such as using context clues, eliminating choices, etc. After all, it’s (mostly) a reading test.

I think the principle of self-sufficiency applies in the testing scenario and also in student independent reading. I train students and employ strategies (such as book talks, student reviews) so they learn how to choose good books to read for the sake of enjoyment and learning. I start with our own interests and skills, “make” us share with each other, thus expose us to various genres/subjects.

Love your website!

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]]> By: lsturr http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/self-sufficient-students/#comment-1340 lsturr Fri, 11 Jan 2008 19:00:29 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/self-sufficient-students/#comment-1340 I too don't believe in giving answers. My usual question back to them is, "What exactly didn't you understand. Show me." Then they usually figure out the answer. I would like them to read the page and instructions before relying on others to tell them what to do. My students don't read directions. They just start and then can't figure it out. I would like them to be responsible for their homework too. One of my students threw her report card away because she hadn't turned any work in and she was getting bad grades. Her Mom called and I sent another one home plus a copy of her assignments from the grade pro. Should be an eye opener. I too don’t believe in giving answers. My usual question back to them is, “What exactly didn’t you understand. Show me.” Then they usually figure out the answer. I would like them to read the page and instructions before relying on others to tell them what to do. My students don’t read directions. They just start and then can’t figure it out. I would like them to be responsible for their homework too. One of my students threw her report card away because she hadn’t turned any work in and she was getting bad grades. Her Mom called and I sent another one home plus a copy of her assignments from the grade pro. Should be an eye opener.

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]]> By: Ms. Mize http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/self-sufficient-students/#comment-1339 Ms. Mize Fri, 11 Jan 2008 16:15:31 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/self-sufficient-students/#comment-1339 Oh, I forgot to mention thank you so much Joel for starting this conversation! I am looking forward to learning more about making my students more self-sufficient. Oh, I forgot to mention thank you so much Joel for starting this conversation! I am looking forward to learning more about making my students more self-sufficient.

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]]> By: Ms. Mize http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/self-sufficient-students/#comment-1338 Ms. Mize Fri, 11 Jan 2008 16:12:08 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/self-sufficient-students/#comment-1338 Picture this if you will: 20 3-year-olds donning snow gear with their 20 hats, 40 gloves, 40 boots, 20 pairs of snowpants, 40 shoes and a random amount of scarves or neck warmers in a 10 x 10 coat room. It is an interesting affair to say the very least. As a 3-year-old teacher, this was something that we did everyday they had school. To help them become self-sufficient I prepared them in several different ways. I gave very specific directions including the order each piece of gear was to be donned. The teacher that is currently in that position also made a visual reminder of the order. I required them to try on their own before asking for help. It is amazing how many students are successful after trying. It is also rewarding to see a student accomplish something she thought she couldn't do. I would also have efficient peers help others. I am sure there are many other ways. I am looking forward to getting to be back in a 3-year-old classroom any day now in the midst of the lovely winter season. Picture this if you will: 20 3-year-olds donning snow gear with their 20 hats, 40 gloves, 40 boots, 20 pairs of snowpants, 40 shoes and a random amount of scarves or neck warmers in a 10 x 10 coat room. It is an interesting affair to say the very least. As a 3-year-old teacher, this was something that we did everyday they had school.

To help them become self-sufficient I prepared them in several different ways. I gave very specific directions including the order each piece of gear was to be donned. The teacher that is currently in that position also made a visual reminder of the order. I required them to try on their own before asking for help. It is amazing how many students are successful after trying. It is also rewarding to see a student accomplish something she thought she couldn’t do. I would also have efficient peers help others. I am sure there are many other ways.

I am looking forward to getting to be back in a 3-year-old classroom any day now in the midst of the lovely winter season.

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