Somewhat-Sometimes-Maybe-Direct-Answers

There is a small chance, I may get used to this 6:00 AM wake up call. I may just survive this semester after all.

Good news! Today was my first tutoring session at the elementary school! I am tutoring reading with two 5th grade girls. Because of last week's snow day, I had no idea what to really do on the first tutoring session, so I just packed a beach bag of books and marched my way to school. I would say I look pretty excited and awake for 8:00 in the morning, don't you?

Since I am working with children in an elementary school, the dress code is (naturally) on the modest side. I am not confessing to have a closet full of immodest shirts, but I will admit that most of them do not come up to my collar bones, no. So, in my sleepy brilliance- scarfs! All I need to do, is buy a bunch of scarfs! Instant modesty! Now if there was a way to magically multiply dress pants I'd be set...

But until then, my students will see me in grey slacks.

Every.

Single.

Session.

But beyond the books, the beach bag, and my "professional" attire, once it was all said and done, I realized few things in class today (a little late, because the snow day pushed the lesson a step back, and I found out what to do on the first day a few hours after... the first day)

I believe in the importance of understanding your student's sociocultural background, that includes the child's life experiences, literacy values in the family, literacy values in surrounding culture, attitudes towards literacy, and their understanding of litercy's meaning.

Before today, this VERY day, I assumed the best way to get this window into their world, would be simple: ask.

Direct questions, followed by

Somewhat-sometimes-maybe-direct answers.

Of course it did occur to me that children perceive the answers we want to hear. If by chance us adults or teachers stump them, they have ways to figure out the desired response. So, the answers are... well - what they are.

And it did occurred to me that adults are intimidating on their own. This increases if the child barely knows the adult.

So direct answers for most, is not beneficial.

Until you capture the power in observation.

Therefore, we have the power to create an environment in which we discover this window into their lives through objects, and play. Create a world in which children's imaginations walk into, so that relationships can be built, and insights are discovered.

This only works however, if the teacher does this with intent. Without this, digging through a bag of 'stuff' and exploring 'objects' and connecting them to stories and background knowledge just becomes busy work.

In other words. This Friday when I go back to the school, and have our second meeting with my girls, I have a whole new approach to work through.

Somehow I have to figure out what I want to know,

how I want to discover it,

using what objects,

with what opening lines,

all the while paying attention to how my girls respond,

to better understand them.

ALL to create a relationship

ALL so that I can do the job I crave to do: teach.

I hope what they say is true, and all this becomes natural in time and I don't have to think so darn hard about it.