Module B5 Childhood Psychology

Let me begin by saying that prior to my high school experience I taught junior college for 8 years. I was not in any way prepared for the neediness of the high school level student. My seniors and juniors enrolled in Anatomy and Physiology are self-motivated, respectful and mature students who are developmentally ready for the rigors of a college prep class. My general biology sophomores, on the other hand, are a mixed bunch. Some are developmentally ready for the demands of biology and some are not. Even though I am only a third year teacher, I can almost pick out the students who will succeed in my class and those who won't in the first couple weeks of class. The maturity level of some biology students is very low. I have had some students at the 4th grade level in reading, and some with such severe behavioral disorders that they literally can't sit still for 6o seconds. It is challenging to say the least. I have tried many interventions and strategies for the minority of developmentally challenged kids. The students who are extremely disruptive and incapable of working in a group situation need to be sent to the office so that the rest of the class can perform and achieve at their highest level. I alwalys strive to include the entire group, but I have come to the realization that this is not always possible! I had a student doing pirouettes around the room a couple of weeks ago. (Are you serious!) I have to attribute the difficulties to the varying levels of development, maturity, and readiness of the student. NCLB does not take into account the student at the very bottom of the develomental scale. This student cannot cope with the demands of cognition, emotion or even morality. Some of these students don't know right from wrong or even basic respect for another student or adult. This student doesn't always fit in the classroom environment. Having a doctoral degree myself, I sometimes wish the instruction for teachers included more practical advice and less theory.