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Investigating Meaningful Teaching Essay Investigating Meaningful Teaching Daniel Bowen Grand Canyon University Special Education Foundation and Framework SPE-330 May 26, 2011 Investigating Meaningful Teaching Investigating what meaningful teaching is it is having teachers that are willing to teach to the whole student by having patience, compassion and developing a meaningful relationship with their students. Being a positive influence and having effective classroom management. An effective teacher is a teacher that wears many hats such as a coach, actor, cheerleader and friend. Having the ability to read their moods, body language, when and what may cause them to become frustrated. Also having a deep belief in each and every student has the ability to learn and achieve. In an interview with four teachers, two inclusion teachers and two self contain teachers was conducted. All four teachers were asked the same questions this being a summary of the results of that interview. (Grand Canyon University, n. d. ) In their opinions, what is necessary for a meaningful and worthwhile teaching and learning experience? All four teachers refer to having respect for each student and students having respect for them and being consistent in enforcing classroom rules. Maintain a set of routines so the students know what is expected of them each day. Know the laws that deal with Special Education. These laws are appt to change at any time. (Grand Canyon University, n. d. ) How is a meaningful learning experience for students related to the teachers philosophy of education? The teachers all feel in general that a meaningful education is synonymous with their philosophy. A student must be made to feel respected, valued, and to feel safe in the classroom. Discipline is as necessary as the text without it the learning process cannot be achieved. Each teacher believed that having the understanding that each student will learn on deferent levels and different ways. It was part of their philosophy to discover the uniqueness of every student. (Grand Canyon University, n. d. ) Why did you want to become teachers? Why do you continue teaching? The first part of this question is generic. They all were influence by a teacher or more than one teacher as they were growing up. The second part was a little different with each teacher. In general the challenge they face every day. Having a child all of a sodden come alive. They begin to grasp the math or reading at their level seeing the excitement in their eyes when a door opens for them that once was closed. The small rewards everyday is what kept them in the classroom. (Grand Canyon University, n. d. ) What are two or three of their most rewarding teaching experiences? Their most challenging? Two of the teachers stated that their most rewarding experience was in having a past student call them up with an invitation to their graduation. These students stating that they would not have made it through school if these two teachers did not believe in them from the start. The others where when they observed there student achieve the understanding of basic math without a calculator and one learning how to write their name for the first time at the age of thirteen. (Grand Canyon University, n. d. ) What changes would they like to make in teaching? Why? They all agreed that the change they would make would be Standardize testing the F-cat (Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test). The teachers have to teach the test and not what the student truly need to be successful in the classroom. They state the biggest problem with this test is that the government is trying to outsmart the student. It is believed that they design the test to make the students to fail. One example was given were a student was a straight â€Å"A† students her whole life all through elementary, middle and high school. She took the F-cat so she could graduate and failed. She could not graduate with her class. They feel the test is not fare to student with or without learning disabilities. The changes they all agreed with was to completely do away with the F-cat and much of the paper work and go back to letting teachers teach. (Grand Canyon University, n. d. ) The reason I want to become a teacher is the total opposite of the teachers interviewed. I never had a teacher that left a lasting impression on my life. I had no on to mentor me as I chose to become a teacher. I became a teacher because after a few industrial accidents left me unable do anything physical for a very long time. While I was looking for something I could do. A bus driving passion came open. So I became a bus driver. As I was driving the position of a substitute teacher open I became a substitute teacher because it paid two dollars more an hour. That was as a substitute teacher that and working with the student that made me decided to become a teacher full time. Watching students struggle with their work, being able to show them how to do it correctly, and having the opportunity to see the â€Å"ahh† factor. Being able to help students learn and see them as they learned is one of the greatest experiences I had in my life time. The decision to become a Special education teacher came a little later. It was the same as when I decided to become a teacher. It was having that one on one with the student. Being able to teach a class with children that were diagnose with Downs, Autistics, Mental Retardation and the list grows. I feel in love with these children and discovered the real need for teacher in this area. This is the reason I decided to join the ranks of Special Education teachers. Through the interview I discovered an even stronger desire to become a Special Education teacher. Through these teachers interview help to enforce what I already knew. Each student is a unique individual. Having different personalities, weakness, strengths, and learning styles. This becoming one of the greatest challenges is unlocking each student mind helping them to discover knowledge. References Grand Canyon University. Syllabus module 2 (n. d. ). http://angel103. gcu. edu/section/default. asp? id=835810