6+ years as a professional educator. 20+ years in the business of teaching and yet, certain happenings in class amaze me.
Let’s talk about one so you’ll share in my amazement and happiness too.
Since my focus is on my students improving their reading and spelling, I made it a duty to paste a new word list every week for them to learn.
That of Week 1 extended to Week 2 (Tuesday) before I gave them a spelling drill on it.
Let’s focus on this particular child’s performance.
Boy didn’t get a word completely right. He made a good attempt at getting the first sound right but mixes it up in the concluding part.
After marking all books, I told them this term’s position holding would be mostly based on their performance during the spelling drill.
I announced the new Captain and we had two Asst. Class Captain because of a tie-in score.
I put up a new word list on Wednesday and told the class that there would be another drill in two days (Friday).
Just like the former, I would be choosing the leaders for the new week.
This child who I mentioned earlier started a new routine.
During his spare time, you would always see him in front of the notice board practicing the words I had put up.
Since he’s yet to get textbooks, he would ask for permission to borrow his classmate’s own and would fully concentrate on his reading and spelling.
He even became a guide to another student as he would take her to the board just so they spell together.
Fast forward to Friday, they took another spelling drill.
Behold, I couldn’t believe what I just marked.
This child got almost all thirty words correct.
I had to call him and gave him a high five.
I told him the reason he got a high five and he just could not hold his excitement.
After about an hour, he came to me and whispered in my ears.
Boy: Ms. Dairo, I want to tell you a secret.
Me: (whispering too) Okay, what is it?
Boy: I think I will be the class captain next week. Don’t tell anyone yet.
Me: What made you arrive at that conclusion?
Boy: You gave me a high five which means I had a great performance.
Me: Okay. But everyone also has an excellent performance.…
Although I have students who scored higher than him, I have come to this conclusion.
There will be multiple positions tomorrow.
I have thought about the right position for him and arrived at one HEAD OF SPELLING.
He would be in charge of calling the new words while other students spell and pronounce them.
I called him Master speller. I’ll build on his learning enthusiasm.
Dear Teacher, there's no one-way path to learning.
Every child has a story. Find it and follow it.
MISS DAIRO'S SPACE 