I am currently in my 6th year teaching 6th grade reading & science in RISD. Prior to my current position I tutored Kindergarten-6th grade in an intensive reading remediation program. I have also had 2 years experience teaching Kindergarten. In addition, I have had a lot of experience working with students of varying degrees of ADD/ADHD, ODD, as well as Autism.
My teaching philosophy is simple, all students are different, therefore all students must have individualized instruction. I have learned that the lines between a gifted and a challenged learner are often blurred. Specifically in reading, I have worked with many students who struggle in reading fluency, but comprehend extremely well. These kids may be identified as a struggling reader because they perform poorly on tests due to their lack of stamina. On the other hand, I often see students (very commonly English Language Learners) who can decode words beautifully and read very fluently, but they aren't understanding the content. As a result, these kids are incapable of taking their learning to the application level that requires them to make connections beyond what is stated.
Oftentimes teachers focus on the wrong problems and therefore students don't make the progress they should. I assess students on multiple skills to find their true area of need and build off of that weakness. This allows students to feel confident about areas they excel in and improve in areas of growth.
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