Mitchell Krieger EDU 1600

Refection #2

In today’s society and economic climate, it is not unheard of to be brought up by a single

parent, or just barely surviving on food stamps. As I grew up, I was completely blind to the

hardships my peers were experiencing outside of the classroom. I was under the impression that

all children lived in a nice house, and had two parents. I guess you could say that my family is

similar to the traditional “Leave It to Beaver” sitcom family. I live with my mom, dad, and two

younger sisters, in a modest two story house. We get along fairly well, and enjoy each other’s

company. Of course we have our problems but, none of our problems put us anywhere near the

at-risk student status. It was not until middle school that I realized just how fortunate and well off

my family is. I remember being invited over to a friend’s “house”, only to discover that he lived

in a small apartment, when I arrived. I was shocked to see how little space he had and I felt

ashamed of myself for complaining about the size of my room. Even today I still feel awkward

when I ask someone about their father, and they say never see him because their parents are

divorced. In my upbringing my parents had always encouraged me to be myself and the best I

can be, and I can’t imagine doing as well as I am today if I didn’t have their support.

After realizing the realities of other children’s situations, I know today that as a teacher, I

must be accommodating and sensitive to every child’s needs. Everyday when a student walks

into the classroom, I cannot just assume that every student is prepared and ready to learn. Just

like when a kindergartner figures out that the teacher does not live at school, I must know that

my student’s do not only revolve around school. Students have other responsibilities and issues

in their lives just like I do. Because I want to teach at the high school level, being aware of these

factors that can inhibit a students learning ability is a crucial skill. I need to be able to adjust to a
student’s needs in order to provide the environment where they can learn most effectively.

Weather the issue is gossip, teen pregnancy, drugs, depression, or something else, I need to be

aware of it and actively alter my plans to make the lesson most effective.