Finding #1 Adolescent v.s. Reading
Adolescent, or young adult is a special stage in the process of a person's development with very special features.
Adolescent is a transitional stage--from child to adult, but not child any more and not adult yet. Adolescents are sensitive, self-conscious, and trying on different selves to find their role and position in this world. Teaching adolescents, educators should be aware of those encounter with considerable oppositions and defiance. In order to make our teaching smooth and avoid as much conflicts as possible, educators should start from the features of adolescent. Building trust between teachers and students is an important step. Trust is a significant factor in young adults' lives because their seeking of their selves and also because young adults can be very mean to each other. To gain their trust, we will be able to make them feel safe and comfortable to share their thoughts, express their opinions and get engaged in the activities in class. Teachers should also be sensitive to respect the emotions and reactions of young adults rather than shut down or dismiss them.
As for reading, natural interest is the best catalyst to motivate students' reading. Therefore if students get to choose what they read, they will be more active and willing to continue their reading. However, due to the unstable and immature developing stage, educators should not just free-wheel their selection, appropriate guidance is necessary.
Teaching adolescents is not easy, but more important, we should blind our eyes with those stereotypes about adolescents. We should look deeper to see what is really hidden in them and treat them accordingly to help them to prepare for their lives in the real world.
Adolescent is a transitional stage--from child to adult, but not child any more and not adult yet. Adolescents are sensitive, self-conscious, and trying on different selves to find their role and position in this world. Teaching adolescents, educators should be aware of those encounter with considerable oppositions and defiance. In order to make our teaching smooth and avoid as much conflicts as possible, educators should start from the features of adolescent. Building trust between teachers and students is an important step. Trust is a significant factor in young adults' lives because their seeking of their selves and also because young adults can be very mean to each other. To gain their trust, we will be able to make them feel safe and comfortable to share their thoughts, express their opinions and get engaged in the activities in class. Teachers should also be sensitive to respect the emotions and reactions of young adults rather than shut down or dismiss them.
As for reading, natural interest is the best catalyst to motivate students' reading. Therefore if students get to choose what they read, they will be more active and willing to continue their reading. However, due to the unstable and immature developing stage, educators should not just free-wheel their selection, appropriate guidance is necessary.
Teaching adolescents is not easy, but more important, we should blind our eyes with those stereotypes about adolescents. We should look deeper to see what is really hidden in them and treat them accordingly to help them to prepare for their lives in the real world.
Teacher as Leaders
As a teacher leader, in order to be successful in classroom teaching, the first and very important step is to understand your students, to know their characteristics, their family background, their previous experiences, their dispositions and their learning styles, etc, so that you will be collaborate with your students in teaching and learning to make your work more smoothly and effectively.