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Sarah

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“Children are not lesser humans, just smaller ones.” This quote from a professor I had will stay with me forever. Children are capable of more than many people assume, and I want to help children realize their capability. Teaching is cyclical process: by observing children where they are, we learn about them; we teach them; they teach us; we observe again. This ever changing dynamic is unique for each child and we must appreciate their differences and their knowledge. This is especially true in tutoring. Children all have different families, cultures, strengths, and weaknesses, and as an educator we must meet them where they are and examine how they learn.
The belief in the competent child is the belief that carries most strongly through my practice. By believing in children’s abilities, we find their strengths and their interests; and we are able to appreciate them as individuals and educate them in a meaningful way. It is especially vital to foster independence with children difficulties in learning, for often it is easier to assist them than to encourage them to do it on their own. Through reinforcement of children’s problem-solving skills they will be more inclined to work towards further independence.
Purposeful teaching can also be seen through the need to combine developmental domains for optimal learning. Cognitive, social-emotional, fine-motor, gross-motor, language, and self-help development do not occur in segregation, so they should not be taught in segregation. As teachers we need to educate each child, and each entire child. Every child learns in different ways, so we must be able to adapt our teaching in different ways. Through combining directive, hands-on, child-directed, and play-based teaching we are better able to meet the needs of all children. For example, in order for a child to have a fluid conversation with someone, the motor cortex is used to physically attend and move their mouth or hands; the frontal lobe and the amygdala tell them what is socially appropriate, and the temporal lobe aids in language. In the example of communication, the entire brain is needed. Children are all different with different needs and different learning styles.
A child’s learning style and needs come from their temperament, academic development, personality, and background. I believe that it is necessary to good teaching is meeting children where they are; not where they were or where they should be. Piaget’s theories stress understanding children’s readiness to learn – if a child is not ready to read, they should be read to until they are ready; if children are learning at different rates, teachers should teach to these differences. Children come in with different knowledge and learn at different paces. Children also come in with different strengths, so through incorporating strength-based instruction, children can learn in a way they understand. Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development states that by understanding where children are, we can scaffold new information by pushing them just beyond what they can master by themselves.
Arguably the most important aspect of a child’s culture is their family. I firmly believe that family involvement creates the most meaningful education for a child. Parents are the children’s first educators. While some parents might be naturally involved in their child’s education, it is important that we also empower the less involved parents. We need to consult them on their child and make sure they know their opinion is the most important one. A good relationship with the parents helps provide the child with the best care possible.
The best care we can provide for a child comes when we appreciate the child for who he/she is and all that he/she can do. More than anything else we do for a child; we must love them and make sure that they know they are loved. We must understand that a child is more capable than we may assume; more different than we appreciate; and have a richer culture and background than we can see. Underestimating a child is the largest disservice we can provide.






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Sarah’s Qualifications

Education & Certification

Undergraduate Degree: George Washington University - Bachelor in Arts, Psychology

Graduate Degree: George Washington University - Master of Arts, Early Childhood Special Education

Hobbies

Hiking, running, reading, cooking, and spending time outdoors. I've played soccer all my life as well.

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