In my four short months thus far as a language & culture assistant, I have learned a great deal about teaching. Every day that I walk into my school, I know that it will be a learning experience. Though I still have much to discover as a teacher, here are some important things I’ve noted:
THINK ON YOUR FEET
As a language assistant, I am not always a part of the primary teacher’s lesson planning, and I am there to help with whatever the teacher needs me to help with. Sometimes I am given instructions such as “Practice spelling with the 4th graders,” in which I have to think about everything they are learning and come up with commonly misspelled words to help them improve their spelling skills. Another common task for me is to do the daily routines with the 2nd graders. Although the routines focus on the same basic information every day (i.e., today’s date, weather, telling time, etc.), it is important to switch it up and to ask different and exciting questions to keep the students–especially the younger ones–engaged. Other times I will finish an activity with a small group and I still have keep them busy while the teacher works with the other group, so I have to come up with a game, activity, or discussion topic on the spot. In addition, I must be prepared to define words which are second nature to me, and coming up with an explanation requires quick, but also thoughtful responses.
BE FLEXIBLE
As I mentioned before, I am there to help with whatever the primary teacher needs me to help with. This can mean anything from helping prepare an activity for the next class, to correcting notebooks, to explaining a grammatical concept, to giving oral exams or spelling tests, to going over the homework from the night before. It’s important to go into each of my classes with the mindset that I won’t always know what to expect, and that’s okay. The key is to be open-minded and willing to adapt to anything that is thrown your way.
FIND WHAT WORKS
Sometimes when trying to explain a grammatical rule or instructions for an activity, the first explanation doesn’t do the trick. Or even the second. Therefore, it is important to find what works. What works for one class may not work for the other, just as what may work for one student may not work for another. It’s crucial to know that no student is the same, and everyone learns differently. Some students may understand with little instruction, while others may need an in-depth clarification of what is expected from them. Similarly, although many students benefit from reading notes written on the board, others may need a visual or a real-life example in order for something to make sense. In addition, adjusting information from one grade level to another can be a difficult task, and it’s a good idea to try a few different things to get a feel for what works for each group. Teaching involves a great deal of trial and error, so I like to try new things to see what is and isn’t successful.
Erin's Teaching Portfolio 