Jones- Week 13

Understanding Students' Spoken Language and Body Language

            I can tell when something is wrong with a student not only based on what they say but also based on how they sit and where they choose to sit. Students do not always want to tell me or my MT when something has happened such as name calling or bullying. However, when a usually chipper student is no longer active or puts their head down on their desk, this is a sign that there is something wrong. There has been a lot of instances of bullying in my classroom this quarter. Students seems to not care how another student feels and often does not care about the repercussions that come behind name calling. Students just say what is on their mind and rarely thing about the consequences of their actions. Noticing and understanding students spoken language and body language is also important in noticing if students are understanding material or if they have questions that they are afraid to ask. During my Guided Lead Teaching, my 3rd graders would often respond with “yes I understand” when I asked if they understood what I had just explained to them. However, the frowns and the heads down, told me something different. Knowing the gestures and behaviors of students not only help with behavior management, but it also helps to clear up misconceptions during whole group discussions. This is a case of students not wanting so say they don’t understand something. When students speak up and say that they do not understand something, they are not only helping themselves, they are helping other students as well. The important thing here is to note specific actions of student either in anecdotal records or in students file. This will help me become aware of students normal behavior so that as I teach and plan lessons. I can make sure that I can make sure that I am tending to students individual needs when possible.