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Did COVID-19 keep you out of the classroom? Due to the pandemic, I missed out on lots of valuable classroom experience working with students. In this class, you will be afforded the opportunity to guide, mentor, and teach bright, young students in Poughkeepsie! Throughout my time tutoring at Poughkeepsie Middle School (PMS), I learned many things, but most of all, I was able to cultivate personal relationships with my students which further strengthened my love and passion for teaching.

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The Importance of Culturally Responsive Teaching

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The Importance of Culturally Responsive Teaching

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Elements of culturally relevant pedagogy, such as perspective-taking, cultural competence, and socio-political consciousness, must be reflected in your work as a tutor and a future teacher. I have witnessed first-hand the positive effect that culturally responsive teaching has on student engagement and achievement. Engaging and understanding your students is necessary to better reflect students’ identity in the classroom. It is important to consider what kind of human beings we as teachers are seeking to produce for the next generations to come; this starts with building empathy and relationships with your students. Teach them, but also leave time and space to learn from them as well. As a matter of fact, from listening to my students, I learned that their favorite teachers were the ones who valued them as people and who showed mutual respect. Moreover, the favorable teachers were the ones who tailored their lessons and assignments to their students' interests and abilities, rather than just giving them pre-made packets and printed assignments.

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The Importance of Being a Role Model for your Students

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The Importance of Being a Role Model for your Students

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A teacher is more than a person who gives a lesson; teachers are role models and serve as confidants for their students. During my time at PMS, I had many conversations with my students, but one that has stuck with me was with a female, Latin-American student. She was in the 8th grade, and came to me about beauty standards in society, such as body hair. In this society, many young girls grow up being taught that body hair is a flaw, and should be removed. Not only did she come to me about this topic because she did not have anyone else at home to talk to, but she also felt that she could trust me because she saw that I shared similar features as her. Representation, kindness, and authenticity goes a long way for our students, and has a greater effect on them than we may realize!

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Be ready to help with subjects outside of your content area! Although as adolescent education students you have already picked your content area, students need help with all areas of school. As someone whose content area is Spanish, I found that many students were not enrolled in a language course. Moreover, many students came to the program without homework, as none is assigned if their classwork is complete. Utilize those moments where your students do not have homework to build a rapport with them, and socialize with them. You can learn a lot about a student’s personality simply from playing a board game. Lastly, in those moments where you are helping with a subject you are not well-rounded in, be honest with them and work through the problem together! This shows students that we are all human, and that it is OK to not know the answer to everything - just be sure to try your best!

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I wish this could go without saying, but follow the “Golden Rule”: Treat everyone the way that you want to be treated! Oftentimes, it is forgotten that adolescents are much more aware and receptive than most adults give them credit for. It is so important to go into the classroom with not only an open-mind, but an open-heart. A large handful of these students have endured much more in their short-life than many adults have; therefore, practice empathy and patience. Additionally, students can read body-language and facial-expressions. In other words, they know if you do not want to be there! By showing your students your eagerness to simply be with them and truly get to know them, there will be a better quality of learning, a higher level of mutual respect, and a higher level of enjoyment for everyone involved.