Houston! We Still Have Problems!

Beloved Subscribers:

As you may know, this is one of the last blogs during our reading unit. With that said, I intend on ending it with a bang.

Even though we have been taught effective ways to teach reading in our own classroom, there still looms many problems and questions. What is the best way to teach reading? How much time should we use to teach reading? Should we focus on phonological awareness early on or instead teach whole word concepts? And the list continues.

In this blog post I want to focus on this question: "What do you as a teacher do when you just feel you cannot do anymore to help a student with his or her reading? You have tried everything and just none of the concepts are sticking."

Unfortunately I am sure this will happen to some of us. I am dreading that day! So quite frankly, what do you do? Without a doubt you going to feel like less of a teacher. You are going to feel as though you have failed. This is just a reality that comes with the job.

I know we have been told, "There are always new ways to instruct new concepts. As a teacher, find a way." I understand this may be difficult, but as teachers, I think we just need to stick with it. We need to keep pushing on, trying new things.

I am going to be blunt. ASK FOR HELP. This help may be from other teachers, school reading specialists, or even your students.

ASK FOR HELP.

KEEP PUSHING ON.

That is all for now. Carpe Diem.