Holding Students Back...Does It Really Help?

One topic that I have had a little experience in through my Ed 115 class was whether or not kids should be held back in grades because they are not meeting the requirements of their present grade. Many teachers, parents, and school boards believe that if a child is held back in school, it affects their self esteem. I think that self esteem is important, but I also think that the education a child is receiving is important as well.

School is a place that is to give children an education and help prepare them for the future. In the movement of better education for students, I think the focus needs to be on helping our children. When a child is in 3rd grade and has a reading level of a 1st grader and a math level of a kindergarten, it is time that this child receives the help they need, even if it means repeating a grade to gain better understanding. I also think that if the problem is caught soon enough and hold them back in a lower grade, they will not have as many problems with self esteem issues as they would have in high school if they could not read. I feel that in younger grades, self esteem does not seem to be a huge issue-most kids love going to school to learn and are friends with everyone. If a child was to repeat a grade, it should be done when they are young when they would have an easy time making friends and receive the help they finally need in order to succeed in the future-a much easier time than they would have in upper elementary, middle or high school, not only with learning, but also with harassment from other students.

I realize that not all problems are caught young enough and some people have to deal with these issues the rest of their life. I would hope that if a student realizes they have a problem or a teacher recognizes that a student has a problem, that they would seek the help they need and not worry about their reputation. They need help and the sooner they receive it, the better, even if it is not in 1st or 2nd grade. No matter when, they should realize that the help they are getting will help them become successful in the long run.

Why Teach?

I am not sure why I exactly want to be a teacher but I know that I want to work with kids the rest of my life and I really want to make an impact in their lives and just help them. I really like teaching people new things and am really excited to have my own classroom. I am not sure what grade I want to teach yet, but I am thinking upper elementary right now. I think that 4th and 5th graders begin to have that sense of independence that I like, but yet they still need someone to guide them on the right path. Being a teacher means taht I need to be passionate about learning and my students in order to help give them the most beneficial education I can give them. I hope to drive a passion of learning into them as well.

I think the difference between 'school work' and 'student learning' is that sometimes teachers give 'work' to students so they can do something else, such as read a book or work on grades while the kids are doing their work. Homework can also be a form of 'school work'. Some teachers may use it to reinforce a lesson they learned in school, and some teachers may assign it because they are not sure if the kids are doing anything worthiwhile when they get home. I think student learning is how a student actually learns and also what they take out of their learning and how they apply it to their everyday life.

I think that a good teacher needs to be passionate about what they do so students can be excited about learning. A teacher also needs to be enthusiastic, empathetic, influential, a good role model, and needs to have fun in the classroom because school can sometimes get boring, especially for older kids.

Hello!

Hello!