Knowing My Students

Written by Mr. DeGrasse

As an educator it is important for me to get to know my students. What this means is going deeper than just finding out their favourite sport or who their best friend is. This means I need to get to know how to teach each student and get to know how each student learns.

Each student that walks into my classroom is different. They are not cookie cutters of each other, but instead are complex individuals. Each brings personal experiences, interests, strengths and areas of need. So why, as a teacher, would I present the material in my classroom to each student the same? Instead, I should strive to teach the material covered in class in a way that suits each student’s learning style. Forcing every student to learn one way will only cause anxiety, confusion, and frustration within the class. Some may say that in a class of 20 to 30 students it is next to impossible to individualize for each student. I say, however, that it is almost impossible for a student to succeed in school if you don’t individualize. I would compare it to making someone run the 100m with a leg cramp or play soccer using only their left foot. It could be done, but why limit their potential? At Bridgeway, because the class sizes are smaller and we have access to information about a student’s learning disability (LD), the job of individualization is made much easier.

The work in the classroom should be designed to enhance the student’s strengths while building up their skills in the areas of need. In each class I have a mosaic of students who may share learning styles or have their own unique learning style. My job as a math teacher is to present the material in a way that is interesting and in a manner that best suits each student’s LD. What may work for one student with a particular LD may not work for another. The key is finding a way to make the material “click” and allow them to understand what is being taught and know how to apply it.

There is not one approach to teach a particular topic to a student. I could teach them five different ways to accomplish the same task. What I’m looking for is that one way that allows them to truly understand what is being asked of them. Occasionally one of my methods may not work and a student may come up with their own system of doing something. Sometimes their technique may be a rephrasing of what I taught them, just in their own words. Other times they may come up with a method that makes sense to them but stumps me.  At times explanations aren’t enough and a student who learns better using visuals may need to see what I’m saying. I’ve used desks to make graphs and matrices, I’ve had students use technology to illustrate and record their findings, I’ve had to explain math by making references to television shows, and I’ve even had students act out algebraic questions. Whatever allows the students to understand the material is how they will learn and retain that information.

Socially speaking...

It can be heartbreaking to watch a child struggle to make friends. They might not know what to say or how to start a conversation. Sometimes, that initial contact is made, only to be lost when the child acts a certain way or says things that might not be considered "appropriate". What we might not realize is that social graces don't come naturally to every child. When a child has a learning disability, they may need to learn those important social skills.

Thanks to Nicole Lawrence, Public Relations student with Mount Saint Vincent University and summer student at Bridgeway for putting together this article.

Rhonda


Learning to make friends: Social skills training can make the difference

By Nicole Lawrence

Social skills are essential to living a satisfying and fulfilling life. Whether at home, school or in the workplace, social skills are the tools that allow us to communicate, relate and socialize with others. Understanding social cues, interacting with others and even respecting someone’s personal space may seem like common knowledge but they don’t come naturally to everyone.

Children with hyperactivity and learning disabilities are less likely to learn and develop proper social skills. Without these skills, they may have trouble understanding facial expressions or how their body language is interpreted. They may also act impulsively; disregarding rules, the feelings of others or the consequences of their actions. Parents and peers may see this as inappropriate behaviour, when the problem really lies with their lack of social skills.

Bridgeway Academy is a school for students with learning disabilities. They teach social skills in the classroom and offer similar social skills programs to the community at large. The primary focus is to help children develop the skills necessary for initiating, building and maintaining friendships and understanding appropriate behaviour.

Just like the skills used to teach math and reading, social skills can be broken down, taught and practiced. Instead of scolding a child’s mistake, positive reinforcement is used until these skills become routine.

“School can be a huge challenge for students with social deficits” says Angela Rudderham, Director of Behavioural and Social Skills at Bridgeway Academy. “Children enrolled in our program often have trouble making friends and following the rules both in class and at home. These everyday obstacles can make it hard for students to concentrate on academics.”

Eight-year-old Arec Aubrecht is a recent graduate of Bridgeway’s social skills program. His grandmother Francine Aubrecht recalls the remarkable difference in Arec, who has Tourette’s Syndrome. “He used to have a real problem with social cues and understanding things like when to stop talking or when he was annoying other kids,” says Aubrecht. She says her grandson also had difficulties making friends. “He had trouble understanding when the kids were playing games – he often mistook playfulness as hostility and would get angry as a result.”

The social skills program first identifies those skills that need improvement then gives parents and children the proper tools to learn and practice them.

“After he finished the program we noticed a big change in Arec” says Aubrecht. “He used to be quite impulsive and now he thinks a bit more before he acts.”

The program’s director Angela Rudderham knows the change students can undergo. “They come to us with social phobias and problems expressing themselves – many leave with the confidence and ability to make friends and interact with others.”

According to his grandmother, Arec loved Bridgeway’s workshop enough to enrol again this summer. By incorporating fun into the curriculum, Bridgeway Academy has a program suited for students of all ages and learning disabilities.

This July and August, Bridgeway Academy is offering the social skills program at both their Darmouth and Truro locations. For more information about this program and other workshops contact Bridgeway Academy at 902-465-4800 or www.bridgeway-academy.com