Phase IV
What Should I Do?
Confronting Teaching in Urban Schools
My major dilemma is focused on the students in one of my classes. In this class, I have one student who speaks only Spanish and 28 out of 32 students where English is their second language (ESL). Of those 28, 22 are performing at one or more grade levels below in their fluency and comprehension of English. I have limited support of one teacher for ½ hour per 80 minute class period. I do not speak or understand Spanish. Four of my very low students have Spanish curriculum materials. The other teacher provides translated vocabulary and handouts. This is of some help but I know I need to provide more support because their performance in class is not meeting my expectations of ImagineIT.
Curriculum
I know that I need to focus on the problem-based curriculum that we have newly adopted, in order to meet my ImagineIT goal of building mathematicians that see mathematical problems and the solutions related to real-world scenarios. My dilemma is that my teacher evaluation on student growth is based on coverage of mathematical content, not the skills to adapt this knowledge to new situations. I know I have to find a balance and am struggling trying to meet both goals while providing my students with the best education possible. I believe that in following my ImagineIT goals through a problem-based curriculum and not how I am being evaluated as a teaching professional is most beneficial for my students. However, I want to maintain the highest professional level in my teaching practice based on my evaluations.