Double Entry Journal #10

Kidwatching is a critical approach to knowing the students in a classroom. Teachers can know what their lives are like outside the classroom, where they come from, etc. However, if they are also observing how the students work in the classroom in different situations, then they are getting to know their students more fully, instead of just partially. This will allow the curriculum planning to be more directed to the needs of the students, and can create more one-on-one situations that will better benefit the students. The teachers can use what they know about their students' lives outside the classroom to affect how they work with the students (which ones are targeted more, etc.) but this is an effective tool for all students, and will assist teachers in more ways than they may realize. It may be a time consuming task, and may not be done as often as teachers would like, but can be worth the time in the long run. This can also continue throughout the school year, but may be most beneficial at the beginning of the year, and then can be built upon as learning progresses.