As the technology class comes to a close I reflected on some of my challenging teaching experiences. I remember a particular child that I taught about lets say 10 years ago. Yes, how that problem still haunts me as I still see myself as having failed to help the child.
I was a young teacher and I was given a Standard One. In this class, I had a ten year old boy that could not write his name correctly. I remember teaching him to write his name and I felt that I had accomplished something but he soon forgot. He took less time to forget that it took to teach him how to do it. This child would use a random string of letters to spell a word during our weekly assessment and would constantly come to me to complain that another child was copying from him.
Feeling very frustrated I sought advice from some of the senior teachers and I was told that I should not waste my time and worry about him, as he is very old and would pass through the system. However, I still persevered but I don’t think that I made any significant difference.
Paper and pencil never worked with him. I now wonder if technology might have made a difference. At that time I did not have any technology at my disposal. However, I believe that eBooks would at least have given him a sense of autonomy in his reading. He would have felt that he was able to read a book all by himself.
Of course we can now consider the various diagnostic assessments that we have been exposed to but what do you think? Do you believe that technology may have helped?
I think that technology would have made a difference primarily because of the novel experience it would have afforded to the child. Children are very open to trying new things.
ReplyDeleteAlso, we have to remember Howard Gardener's Multiple Intelligence Theory of learning, which states that “learning can occur on many levels and can be demonstrated in different ways, depending on a student’s preferred mode of intelligence.” “There are at least eight different and relatively independent types of intelligences.”(Roblyer 2006 p. 44) The multimedia characteristic of Web 2.0 technologies supports the different types of learning styles especially for the visual, kinesthetic, spatial and inter and intrapersonal learners.
Though it may seem challenging and frustrating at times, our tasks will be very rewarding if we as teachers have as our mantra “ALL CHILDREN CAN LEARN”
Reference:
Roblyer, M.D. (2006). Integrating educational technology into teaching (4th ed.). Columbus, OH: Pearson/Merrill Prentice Hall
I too believe that technology would have made a difference to this child. It is sad that he passed through the system without being helped. Like Divine Jewel, I believe that if this child was given the opportunity to participate in technology based teaching he would have made greater strides.
ReplyDeleteI have a friend who was diagnosed as dyslexic and she enjoys listening to audio novels. She is a successful artist who has come to terms with her weaknesses but is making good use of her strengths. It is indeed unfortunate that as teachers we sometimes allow students to leave our classes or school feeling like failures when we were the ones who failed them. We never looked for what they can excel in once they have limited verbal, logical and or visual intelligence.