Autism in the Classroom
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teachershub
It is becoming a much more common sight to see children with special needs in the mainstream classroom. Children suffering from Autism or Asperger's Syndrome are among these who are being introduced into the mainstream environment.
This is not harmful to the Autistic children as long as they are understood and taught in the correct manner. And it is up to us, as teachers, to learn all we can about children with Autism so that we can meet their needs fully in order to enhance the learning experience.
Before you meet a child with Autism or Asperger's Syndrome, it is important to know that these children generally do not like to be touched. This is not because they do not like you or that they're scared of you, it is because of sensory integration problems which these children suffer from; touch is often misinterpreted as pain.  Often, eye-contact is extremely poor and if the child has not been taught to provide eye-contact, it will be one of your first projects. Even if the child has learnt eye-contact, Autistic children and children with Asperger's Syndrome will need prompting in this area; they are not ignoring you, they just don't know the subtle rules of conversation and also battle to pick up non-verbal cues.
Try to stick to a routine and, if you know it will change at some point, be sure to prepare the child for the disruption of their daily timetable. Often, change is not handled well and should be dealt with very delicately, preparing them days, or weeks in advance.
If Autistic children have a tendency to line up their belongings in a certain way, this is normal. Slowly, by building a relationship with them, you will be allowed to move something or rearrange things in order to show them that you can play with them too. Autistic children love the order in lining up toys and belongings; it is calming and gives them a sense of control.
Asperger's Syndrome presents a different challenge. These children tend to be more verbal and seem to know a large amount of information; they always correct you and seem highly driven to learn. While this is somewhat true, teachers often miss this. Asperger's Syndrome sufferers will need to be taught, lovingly, in the area of listening and avoiding the desire to correct others.
This is a small amount of insight into the world of Autism and will help you with the first steps of teaching.
Tags: Autistic, Autism, Asperger’s
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Parents Getting Great Grades
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teachershub
Younger and younger children are coming home from school with projects to complete. For many very young children, the task is often beyond their capability. They lack the ability to organise a project, do the necessary research and present it in a way which best suits what they have been assigned. So, a small child is given a project which they are not equipped to handle and shows their parents. They know that their child is unable to perform the task at hand and desperately want their child to succeed. Unfortunately, not many parents are teachers and most do not have the time to teach their children how to complete a project. So, they end up doing the project themselves. The best grade in the class will then be based on which child has the most creative parents. The result of this situation is a good grade, but extremely poor learning. All the child ends up learning is that their mother can be manipulated into completing all of their projects. This problem is not isolated to very young children, because as children grow older, their teachers believe that they have the capability to complete projects and the situation is never rectified. As a teacher, it is your responsibility to make sure that your class is ready for the task which you assign to them. Provide them with all the necessary information and teach them the skills which are needed to complete the task correctly. Parents should be encouraged to take an interest in their child’s school work, but should also be prepared to allow their children to try and, sometimes, fail. If a child tries to complete their project in five minutes, they will receive a poor grade – this is an important lesson to learn and the child should not be deprived of this learning curve. As they put more and more effort into their work, grades will improve and they will have learnt important lessons which they will carry with them for life. Teachers have a responsibility to teach the children in their class and allowing parents to complete the projects which have been assigned to their children is unacceptable. It is not difficult to notice when a parent is earning the grade and not the child. And, if you need to educate the parents on the subject of their child’s responsibilities, then take the time to do that.
Tags: Parents, Children, Grades, Project, Projects
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Ideas for a Productive Class
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teachershub
Teachers have a class full of children and every child in that class is different, with their own needs. Teachers feel the pressure of having to get through the prescribed curriculum, help children who are slower learners in the class and keep the gifted children challenged.
This is a quite a tall order for an individual and often leaves many teachers disheartened and exhausted. Thankfully, there are practical ways to keeping up with the curriculum and making sure that each child is learning to the best of their ability.
1. Be Prepared
There is nothing worse than a teacher who is unprepared. Make sure that you understand the material you will be going over for the day. Be prepared to answer any questions and make sure that all the equipment you need is ready and available. When children are bored, they get mischievous.
2. Keep an orderly classroom
Know where everything is kept in your class and make sure that things are put back in their correct places. Keep up-to-date with your paperwork and keep your class tidy. This will not only make your life easier, but will provide a positive model for your kids to follow.
3. Have a learning-friendly atmosphere
It is said that people are more productive in a blue room and that the colour yellow enhances concentration – even if this is not true, a bit of colour in the class makes for a happy atmosphere. Try to have plenty of natural light in the class, fresh air and plants that will help keep you and your kids alert.
4. Be approachable
Make yourself available for questions and advice – if you get through the curriculum and the children don't understand it, your goal has not been achieved.
5. Make lessons practical
Involve the children in the learning experience as much as possible. If children are given the opportunity to experience learning, rather than memorise it, they will remember it forever.
6. Be flexible
If you notice that the kids are interested in a separate topic, go with it. This way you will be able to engage them in discussion and teach them from their point of interest.
7. Take breaks
If you are dealing with a particularly strenuous topic and there is a lot of concentration involved, get the kids to stand up, take a couple of deep breathes and stretch for a few seconds. They will feel refreshed and ready for the next section.
8. Set your boundaries and stick to them
Be vocal and clear about your classroom rules. Make sure that each child knows them and that they know what will happen if those rules are broken. The boundaries will be pushed, but make sure that you are consistent. They test you because they want to know whether they can trust you. They need boundaries and so do you.
9. Recognise the need
If a child is battling with any part of the learning experience, take time to observe and note the behavior. Discuss concerns with his other teachers and his parents. In this way you will be able to resolve the issue in a timely manner.
10. Have fun
If you're having fun, the kids will pick up on it and they will feel free to have fun too. Learning is meant to be fun.
Tags: Productive, Children, Concentrate,Class, Teacher
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The Support Assistant
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Posted by:
teachershub
In the past, children were sent to school and they were expected to cope with what the school and the curriculum had to throw at them in terms of work and social interaction. With the increase in knowledge of children with special educational needs and learning disabilities, the need for support assistants has increased as well.
A support assistant is someone who is able to spend one-on-one time with a child, whether they have a learning disability or behavioural problems. This assistant makes it possible for the teacher to carry on with the lesson, without as many stoppages. In this case, the assistant will be able to explain the work or provide an example in order to make the information clearer to the child they are helping. The assistant will then make a note of the work which needs revision and will be able to provide that extra work.
Support assistants also make life simpler for the child with restricted movement. When the teacher and class are on the move, it is important for the assistant to remain with the assigned child and make sure that they are able to follow the group in a safe manner – the child should not be left to sit and watch the activities, but should be assisted in every way possible in order to ensure that they know they are one of the group.
This role is not to be taken lightly by the teaching assistant, as they will be playing a major role in the education of certain children. It is still the duty of the teacher to educate the children in her class, and this includes the children with learning disabilities, special needs and behaviour problems. The assistant is not there to teach, but there to enhance the teaching for the assigned child and make sure that the child is receiving all the help and guidance they might need.
If a teacher notices that one of the children requires such help, it is important to be open and honest with their parents. Discuss the need with all the important people in the child's education – the head teacher, other teachers, physiotherapist, speech therapist and occupational therapist (if the child receives any of these therapies).
Tags: Facilitator, School, Children, Support, Learning
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Children Without a Home
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Posted by:
teachershub
It is not uncommon to find children in schools who have been neglected to some degree and, sometimes, even abused. These children may be obvious to the trained eye and as teachers we are relatively well equipped to deal with a situation such as this.
There are, however, children who are suffering quietly, making their way through life the best way they know how; under the radar. We notice them, sometimes. They are the children who sit on their own during break time, they are quiet and withdrawn. Some of them are loud and obnoxious, bullying others. And still others are bright and cheery-eyed, always willing to help and always ready with the correct answer. We notice them, but we don't always notice their need or know what they may be going through.
The needs of children have changed over the years. Before, it was common for mothers to quit their jobs to stay at home with the kids until they reached secondary school, but now mothers hire nannies and babysitters, some children as young as two years old are enrolled in homecare programmes. The reason for this is because not many families can afford to raise children on a single salary these days. Mothers are forced to work in order to provide for their family. There has also been a rise in single parenthood and these mothers sometimes have to maintain more than one job. Teenage parenthood is also a growing concern; as children are passed off to grandparents, whilst mum goes back to school herself.
These children require some extra attention at school. Many of them try to fulfill this need by becoming the class clown, others take to bullying, even though the attention they receive is negative, others do not know how to fill the need and become isolated and many of them will succumb to depression at a very early age.
As teachers, we are required to provide an education for these children, and this includes teaching them how to deal with difficult situations such as these. Every single child in your class has their own set of needs and lives in different circumstances, it is our job to know the child and provide a loving, caring and safe environment away from home.
Get to know the children in your class and take an interest in their lives. Provide the attention they need before they seek it elsewhere.
Tags: Children, Home, Child, Teacher, School
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What Teachers Expect
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teachershub
There are two approaches when teaching in a classroom when it comes to receiving attention from the teacher. This can create a definite split between two different levels of learner in the classroom. Some teachers focus solely on the lower level students and try and bring them up to speed with the rest of the class, whilst others ignore these needs and simply try and help the more advanced members of the group reach their maximum potential. If you decide to give your time to the lower level learners, one benefit is that you will have a better chance of identifying if the child’s lack of ability is due to a controllable factor or an incontrollable one - like a learning ability. On the negative side, over helping and praising the lower level students, whilst the intention is good, undermines learning in general and the idea that success comes to those who work the hardest. This can also in turn lower all the students understanding of what is expected from them and keep everyone at a standard level. If you then decide to focus the attention on the quicker learners, instant success should follow. Generally, they will thrive on attention in the areas they are prominent in and rapid improvement in grades and production should follow. On the other hand, the lower level students may fall behind even further. The trick is to mentally divide the groups and keep a balanced curriculum. You don’t want the higher level students thinking that you expect less because they heard you praise a lower level student in an easier task. Generally, they should only be getting praise when they have accomplished something matching or bettering their intelligence level – otherwise it can be patronising. Teachers must also consistently ensure slower learners are progressing at a steady pace with praise and assignments that are relevant to them.
Tags: Attention, Levels, Learners, Potential, Teacher
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Ways Students Are Motivated
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teachershub
It is becoming increasingly difficult for teachers to motivate students. This is mostly due to the excessive number of distractions, the heavy workload, and other social stress that they are bombarded with daily. However, there are a few ways a teacher can and should motivate students to get the maximum focus and effort out of them. Use visual aids: We live in a society where the media is the main source of input for children. The brain often receives and retains visual facts easier than information received by audio (speech). Excitement is contagious: The students will directly reflect the emotions of the teacher. If you’re excited about the subject, your students will be too. Energise your classes; it’s hard to laze at the back of the classroom when the teacher is bouncing around the room. Sincerely care: There is a natural barrier between students and teachers and it’s often hard for to connect. Students need to be shown that they are cared for and thought about. This is easily done by asking what goals they have in life and setting targets to reach them, sharing personal experiences and recognising when their work and behaviour has been good. Work as a team: It’s more fun and exciting when an educational problem is tackled as a group. Young people love being in a gang and, in these situations, the weaker and stronger students can help each other and gain experience of working in teams. Take the time to explain: Many student problems can be traced back to them simply not understanding an assignment properly. When time is taken, students can comprehend why the problem is important, when in life they might need to use it and what exactly is expected of them. Public Praise: There are few things that humans crave more than public acknowledgment. This powerful motivational method should be used sparingly as too much can take the light off the “celebrities” of the classroom. But, when used properly, public praise can encourage students to give their all.
Tags: Students, Motivated, Visual, Team, Praise
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Student Privacy Tips
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Posted by:
teachershub
Starting college is an exciting time for new students, though it can also lead to problems and campus crime is one of the biggest. Robbery, identity theft, assaults, and other offences begin in earnest as pupils head back to school. Tech-savvy scholars often store their lives on their computer, mobile, or tablet, which is why protecting these items is so important. Here are some tips to help connected students guard their privacy: • Use a password to protect tablets, laptops, desktop computers, mobiles, or smart phones. This will usually be enough to keep personal information save, though it will require a password more complex than ABCD or QWERTY. • Theft recovery applications enable those who have had their devices stolen to locate and recover them. These applications are like Lo-Jack for electronics, and will come in handy if a personal device is snatched. • Social networks are usually the best way for identity thieves to obtain information, which is why privacy-savvy students will protect their social media by setting it as private and granting access to only those they chose to. • Blogs and websites that provide information on their owners can be easily located, and the reputation of a student can be ruined due to content posted on their personal site. Being wary of what is said online will help protect the reputation of students. • Minors should ensure that there is no way for outsiders to find out where they are studying. Only make your location visible to those who you know and trust, as this can help students avoid online predators. • Never give out passwords, even to close friends. The more people that know a password, the less secure it is. • Always safeguard closets, desk drawers, and lockers with enhanced locks instead of just using ones provided by the school. Many people find that their personal items are stolen due to poor protection, but upgrading locks on personal storage spaces will ensure that possessions are kept safe.
Tags: College, Students, School, Privacy, Passwords
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Retirement Plan for Teachers
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Posted by:
teachershub
Every civil servant has a retirement benefit plan. Because it is mandatory in most countries that you should have a secure future pay contributing some amount of money on a monthly basis when you are still working and earning a salary. This money is refundable every month after you have surpassed the working age, so that even though you are not working anymore you still get to earn some money enough to sustain your well being. Once you are employed as a civil servant, it is a must that you save for your future. It is not only your future saving but also for the future of your beneficiaries, so that after your death then your family can still leave comfortably without having to begin from nowhere. Teachers being civil servants, also have some retirement benefit schemes that help them save for their future. These schemes are very important in that, they can even give you loan before you retire. The different between teachers' retirement plan and other civil servants is that, teachers save in groups called savings and credit corporative societies, which are under the ministry of corporative societies.
Sometimes these cooperatives do not operate according to the law especially those that are not registered by the ministry, and therefore do not exist under any formal law. What these small societies do is that, they get teachers to register with them and after a period of time the society disappears with the money from the teachers' savings. It is very heartbreaking to realise that after working for many years and saving for your future, some arrogant and greedy fool just squanders your money for their own selfish reasons.
There was a complaint that was raised by teachers who were saving on walimu savings and credit corporative society. They lost their money to this unrecognised organisation that had motive of stealing from teachers. Such societies should be burned at all costs to avoid future embezzlement of funds. And as teacher who wants to join a savings and credit society, you should ensure that it the corporate is registered and recognized by the ministry of corporative. You cannot afford to lose all your savings at the expense of conmen who are out there waiting for the right time to steal from you, and you can also report such people to the relevant authorities. Because you never know they might be planning to steal from you too.
Tags: Retirement, Benefits, Law, Stealing, Unlawful
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Shortage of Teachers
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Posted by:
teachershub
Due to increased birth rates in most countries there have been an increased number of pupils registered in schools every year. The current number of teachers cannot handle this number of students and teach them properly. The government requires that a class should not exceed fifty students per teacher but you cannot deny other pupils their right to education. There might be a class that can accommodate them, so that in every class the number of students does not exceed fifty. But here comes the question, how can a single teacher attend to two classes at the same time? Of course, you don't expect a teacher to use the time allocated for one lesson to cover a double lesson.
It is a fact that shortage of teachers is experienced in public schools more than it is in private schools. Maybe the government employs a teacher after a long period of time. In fact, sometimes it seems that the government waits for the already employed teachers to retire before employing others on full contract. The country experienced teacher strikes a few months ago; can you imagine what triggered the strike? Their counterparts had been working on temporary contracts while the budget included funds for employing new teachers on permanent contracts.
So does it take a teachers strike for the government to realise that our schools are in dire need of teachers? Whenever the budget is read at the beginning of every financial year there is always amount that is located for the Minister of Education. The Minister is supposed to use the money allocated to employ more teachers but that is not always the case, instead the ministry always diverts the money to other areas. As a result, the graduates who are supposed to be employed by the government join the private education sector. That is why anytime the national examination results read by the minister of education, the private schools always outshines the public schools. It is high time the government looked into this matter because with what is currently happening, very few if any will venture into teaching as a profession and that is something that won't do any good to the world. The entire world is in desperate need of professional teachers because majority is venturing into different career line; teachers' shortage is not only a problem in developing countries but is a problem that affects every country and everyone at one point in a lifetime.
Tags: Shortages, Birth Rates, Education, Contracts
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