Reflection
Melissa onoro
My views on children’s abilities is that they gain these abilities by their experiences and
surroundings. What they are exposed to and what they imitate and learn from their
parents or caregiver has everything t doo with how they develop. Also giving the
necessary attention to a child and their development, being aware of the stages of
development also have an effect Their physical and cognitive abilities also rely on the
resources that are available to the child and engagement and communication between
a family and a caregiver to help the child develop such abilities.
When I was in senior kindergarten as well as grade one I went to a French immersion
school. Before I went to school I went to a daycare but my first language was Spanish
and my second is English although I don’t quite remember struggling with
communication during that time. My first day of kindergarten was overwhelming I
couldn’t communicate with my teacher in neither English or French. The teacher knew
that therefore found out before my first day of class who knew how to speak Spanish
and for me to have friends in the class in which I could communicate with freely but
could also teach me French and English all at the same time. The school also provided
support by putting me in ESL in which helped me communicate not only with the
teachers but with my classmates. In grade one I was separated from my two Spanish
speaking friends and put me in a class where I really began to speak and learn French I
was still in ESL but because of my good progress and my want to learn french I was
able to learn both without it affecting my Spanish at home that let me communicate with
my family. I received a lot of support through the school and the school also gave me
and my family resources and people around us to help us. Definitely one of the most
memorable times that I felt supported and understood.
Keeping in mind that every child is different and have different abilities and potential
makes my practice more flexible and better. That way each child has my necessary
attention and although they may struggle to perhaps speak English because that’s their
second language or perhaps they are struggling in a physical ability because they don’t
experience going outside often it makes me look beyond that and think well what are
their abilities and how I can work to help develop those growing abilities, perhaps even
with the help of their parents. For example my abilities and potential was in languages I
was stuck because I only spoke Spanish at home and only knew the basics in English
because of daycare. The teacher helped me to develop my abilities in languages and
noticed how I had the interesting potential to do it. Using my example and even my
sister who was given support and was understood due to her being diagnosed early
with ADHD I believe that it changes my practices for the better and helps me also to
provide support and understand the growing abilities and potentials of all children
instead of having a fixed mentality on children’s abilities and traits.