Breaking the Cocoon

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Re: Educating educators

From: Marija
Date: 10/19/03
Time: 12:42:10 PM
Remote Name: 195.29.97.63

Comments

Dear Emma, thank you for your comments and the big compliment you've given me by asking me this question. Somehow I always think that "someone else knows it better" or "I am not a psychologist and no SLP" and they probably wouldn't want me to meddle in their field. Once I spoke to a defectologyst (does this word exist in English?) how I feel that I can't lean on my speech same as a person without a leg can't lean on that leg. "You can't compare the two!", she argued in almost angry manner. So I am somewhat puzzled about how far can I go in giving my opinions - I hope you understand what I'm trying to say! :o))) It's somewhat like walking on eggs.

I agree that in our teaching education we only brush the matter of children with difficulties. We learn the branches of difficulties and speech finds its place somewhere in there. In a didactics class there is very litle if any learning of how to "deal" with a stuttering child (narrowing to this because this is a Stuttering Conference). The teachers "deal" with those children without knowing the DO's and DONT's, and it's only natural that they make mistakes. They aren't even aware enough to know that those mistakes can echain a stutterer's life for a long time, even for a lifetime.

What can be done? I think the best way is to turn to the root of this problem: and that is college education of all future teachers and professors. I had classes like pedagogics, didactics, children's psychology, methodics... somewhere in there should be a topic "Methods of working with children with a difficulty" or something more in the nature of English language. The students should learn the basics:

- don't ask that child to read aloud as he/she is like any other;

- talk to that child alone about what he wants and wants NOT to do in the classroom,

- give him choices and don't scare him with being stern, it has HORRIFYING effects that can lead to cutting classes (my case)

- that child might have a phobia of the classroom because there his difficulty is seen by all; take him out to another room, a cabinet or sit down in a corner of a snack-bar after school, or on a track-field, and then do your short oral exam

I have many many ideas about this since I remember my childhood so vividly; you can see some more of these in my answer to Sandra Gil here on this discussion page.

This is what should be done in teachers' education, but for those who have been lecturing for so many years there must be a break that keeps them from expanding their knowledge. Maybe they do this with a good intention and the rest are plain lazy. I applaud your will to change their attitudes and ask you to keep on trying. If you can make ONE teacher more sensitive about a stuttering child he/she has in their classroom, IT IS A SUCCESS.

I think the biggest influence on pushing this subject into teachers' college education can be made through Stuttering Associations. They should address the Ministry of Education and I'm sure in a couple of years the fruits could be picked.

(Was I out of my line? Is anyone rolling eyes over what I've written?)

Warmest regards from Marija

P.S Sorry it was such a long message!!!


Last changed: September 12, 2005