Struggling Student

After the first day I attended clinical, I became familiar with details on several of the students by kidwatching. I continued observing all the students and became very familiar with each of them.

I have particularly noticed a child that struggles in class. This small child is a perfect student in some aspects. He raises his hand before speaking, follows directions to the best of his ability, and doesn’t mingle with students when he isn’t allowed. However, he not an ideal student because he is not excelling in reading; rather he is below level in comparison to the rest of the class. I fear that he doesn’t mingle with students because he has speech and social skill problems. When he raises his hand, he asks questions like: “When is lunch? Can I go to the bathroom? Will you tie my shoe? Is it time to go home yet?” He doesn’t answer questions the teacher asks about the content.

After completing the survey, “My Feelings about Reading,” I reviewed his survey to get some answers as to why he is not on level with reading. His survey showed that he does not like to read and thinks reading is not fun. He reads while he is at school. However, he does not read at home, and his parents do not read to him either. This child would rather watch television than read.

I thought about his survey and couldn’t understand why a child would not think reading is fun. Then I realized that if reading is difficult and is only being done at school and he is lacking this experience at home, then it wouldn’t be fun. I want this child to find a love for reading, but unfortunately the learning activities in the classroom is not meeting the needs to do so.

The class reads one children’s literature book a week; the same book is read to them every day throughout the week. I was shocked at how much television the teacher allows the students to watch at school! On Wednesday I observed an incident that astonished me. A little girl picked up a children literature book while the class was watching a movie. She had been quietly engaged in the book for about 10 minutes when the teacher yelled at her to put the book away and watch the “Disney” movie! I felt bad for this child and realized that she and the struggling student would not benefit from this style of teaching.

I hope I can make a difference in the struggling students education. I want to get him to gain a love for reading! I also hope to get some interaction from him during instruction. I know he is capable of learning, but the style of teaching is just not benefiting him.