What was the title of the resource (Podcast or video) you decided to review?

  I decided to go with the “You be the Mentor” Series of videos because it provided real life teaching scenarios of students with issues in a classroom. The video I chose from the mix to review was, “Amy seeks your assistance”.

Provide a two-paragraph overview of the information contained in the Podcast/video.

  In one part of the series, “Amy seeks assistance”, The students seem to be working on an assignment in class, and Amy is accusing the teacher of never helping her. She even yanks on the teacher’s arm over and over trying to get her to help, raising her voice each time. The teacher proceeds to continue helping other students and tries to make Amy work on her own. Amy feels like the teacher is setting her up for failure, so she is making the biggest scene possible. This doesn’t help the other students in the class because they cannot learn because Amy is disrupting.

  The description above the podcast explained that this type of behavior is normal for Amy. It seems like when she does participate in independent work, she always seeks help. I don’t know whether this means Amy wants the teacher to do the work for her, or if she really feels that she cannot complete the task alone. It could have to do with a confidence issue; maybe Amy really thinks that she isn’t smart enough for it and seeks guidance from the teacher, maybe even just desires the attention.

Why did you choose this Podcast/video?

  I chose this video because I wanted to see first-hand what it is like to deal with different students on an everyday basis. This video allowed me to gain some insight on persistent students, and how I should or should not deal with a situation. I would have done things much different than the teacher did in the video, so by watching it, I did learn from it.

Concerning the information in the Podcast/video - Was anything surprising to you?

  The most surprising thing to me was when the teacher ignored the student, Amy. Not only does it hurt the student that needs help, it disrupts the whole class. How is that fair to the other students trying to learn? They deserve a calm environment to learn in, and the teacher did not help provide that, at all. Though it is said it was pretty regular for Amy to act out like this, it doesn’t make the teacher’s response okay. There were so many other ways to get around that situation, but I feel the teacher went about it in the worst way possible.

In your opinion, describe two of three of the most important things you learned from listening to the Podcast/video.


  The two most important things I learned in this video, I will carry with me in the classroom someday. First, I learned that I am in control. How I choose to react to a certain situation affects the class as a whole. I need to make sure that I am handling situations properly and following strict guidelines on discipline. Second, I learned that ignoring a student that is making a scene does not help the situation with a class full of students. Sure, it may work when they are pitching a fit alone, but when disrupting a class, proper disciplinary actions need to take place.

How could you use the podcast information in YOUR classroom? 

      In my classroom, I am going to make sure that my students get the proper education that they deserve and in the proper environment. Kids have low attention spans, so it is hard to keep them involved when you have another student causing a ruckus. If it were I, I would have asked nicely for the student to calm down and wait their turn. If they continued to be disruptive I would have to take them out of the classroom to be fair to the other students. I would also want to make sure nothing was wrong with the student causing them to act out.

Summary:

It is important as a teacher to take control of one student so that they can control the whole class. Regardless if Amy acted out often, it doesn’t mean that the teacher should continue to let it go on. This is why teacher-parent conferences are important. Let the parents know the child is acting up; most likely they will handle it. I am a firm believer that education starts in the home, and it is essential to involve the parents. This teacher continued to brush it off, and it only escalated. It is important to take affirmative action in these types of situations.

Research Question:

What are some things that can aid parents in motivating their kids to do better in school?

Research Results:

Since my video dealt with a child acting out in class, I wondered how parents can play a part in this process, and how they can positively affect the child’s academic achievement. The main concern was parents not investing and spending time enough time with their kids. They need to practice communicating with them about their school life.

The biggest benefactor in a student’s education is generally parental involvement, especially when it comes to influencing a child’s motivation. Studies show that if the parents care, the student will care more.

      Another benefactor is that it is extremely important for parents to keep track of their child’s grades and progress. Not just the quarterly report card, but their day-to-day progress. Making sure their daily assignments are met and their homework is done is a good start. Most children just need someone to care, and they will flourish. It is a parent’s job to make sure their child succeeds in school.

Reference:

https://www.empoweringparents.com/article/10-ways-to-motivate-your-child-to-do-better-in-school/