The drive which has motivated me to train as a Reading Specialist chiefly lies within my working environment. Daily I am faced with students who are struggling with their academic performance, lack the required levels of intrinsic motivation to succeed and are disengaged from their academic pursuits. In the institution where I currently teach, approximately 80% of the student population is deficient in the areas of reading and writing. Most of these students are unable to activate vocabulary knowledge; decode unfamiliar words; use comprehension strategies and read fluently to extract meaning from reading materials. Moreover, these struggling readers also experience a persistent sense of failure in the different content area subjects. It is apparent to me that this high failure rate is due to the high levels of illiteracy among the students of my school. When I consider the needs of the learners in a typical 21st century classroom, I realise that these pupils are ill-equipped to deal with the present far less for the future. This situation is further compounded by the high levels of poverty in their community. In considering all of these factors, I felt moved to render any assistance that I could afford to them. Therefore, when the opportunity presented itself for me to be trained as a reading specialist, I immediately seized it since I realised that this would be the most effective way to assist these students.
According to the International Reading Association, reading skills and strategies are essential in order to function productively in society. I believe that students need to be literate in order to cope the flood of information that surrounds them and permeates their daily existence. These students need to be taught the value of being able to read in order to function efficiently and effectively in their adult lives. I strongly believe that functional literacy is not sufficient. Students must be able to extract meaning at higher levels of comprehension. In other words they need to be able to read not only what is stated but what is unstated as well, " reading between the lines", since this is a skill that is often required in real life. It is my aim, upon completion of this course of study, to be able to teach the students of my school how to acquire such skills. I know that the training that I will receive will enable me to fulfil this desire.
Yes, our students face many challenges with limited assistance from adults in regards to motivation and inspiration. I sincerely hope that we can fulfil all the lofty plans that we have for changing these children's lives. Let us strive to be the best reading specialists that our country needs.
ReplyDeletei think that the ministry of education should stop and take a good look at the system and realise that many kids are left behind due to reading challenges.
ReplyDeleteThe cayman Islands did ti a few years ago and they are doing fine now in terms or reading chlallenges that kids face
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ReplyDeleteMichael it is so true that so many of our nation’s students are under performing and it does hurt as a teacher to see that so many students are struggling readers. Some teachers do try but lack the necessary training to help some of the students and eventually give up. I can safely say that all is not lost because we are given such training and we are responsible in making a difference in our school so that our students will move from struggling readers to striving readers. I hope in the near future we will have more of our students performing at optimum and some school may no longer be P.E.P. schools.
ReplyDeleteHi Michael,
ReplyDeleteGood day to you. Some of our students are in dire need of help. All we can do is try to help them, one at a time. We must be patient and never give up on them. Michael, I have seen teachers throw their hands up in the air and say "He/She don't know nothing." As teachers and future Reading Specialist we must motivate our colleagues to never give up on students. We must also share our knowledge with them. We need to reduce the number of struggling readers in our nation's schools.
It really feels helpless when you can't help these struggling students. Thankfully the training we are exposed to in this programme will allow us to make a difference in these students' lives.
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ReplyDeleteMichael,
ReplyDeleteI was attracted to your post because of its name. I taught in Moruga for more than five years and believe me I empathize with you. I know the people and their culture and trust me it’s one that is very difficult to appreciate. I know that most of the students in your school are struggling readers, that’s what you get from an SEA examination that streams students. When you put all the struggling readers together with no support systems, what do you get?
High rates - absenteeism, recidivism, drop out, sexual act ivies, teenage pregnancy, delinquency, failure and don’t forget just high, high on marijuana
Thrust me I’ve been there!
So where does that leave us teachers?
High, High on stress!