How does a classroom teacher meet the myriad of news that present themselves in the classroom? Of course, it's impossible to meet all needs, and you have to prioritize, but there are ways to meet more needs than some.
First it's good to make the time to think deeply about your learners. Who are they? What do they need? How can you teach each and every student well?
It's also good to enlist parent support in the effort. Teaming with parents is valuable and helpful. Parents know their children well and are typically willing to help you help them.
Then allow the students to reflect and share their thoughts too. A powerful question is to ask, "How can I help you learn more and better?" Students usually have the answer to that question.
Further, as much as possible, create a classroom atmosphere where children feel comfortable and where they can easily access the tools they need to learn well. I'm at yet another juncture in that regard since my room is ready for another reorganization effort (coming soon).
Collaborating with colleagues helps too. It's difficult to meet a large number of student needs on your own. As much as you can be open to your colleague's ideas, talents, and thoughts, the better you'll meet all needs together. When it comes to meeting students' needs we definitely do better together.
This weekend I'll make some time to think about how I might best meet the needs of the learners I teach each day. I have a number of ideas inspired by events, data, meetings, and conversations I've had this week. It's nice to have an extra day to give to this aim.
