'Every student is different'

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Hello from the High School Resource Room. It’s hard to believe that the first semester is over! Someone asked me the other day, “What do you do in the Resource Room?” Well, let me begin by saying, that I am blessed to work with some of the smartest and most creative students in our school. 

So what do we do? First and foremost, I am a teacher and that is what I spend the majority of my time doing. Students come to my room for a variety of reasons. Students come to my room for instruction in one of the basic core classes, usually Math or Reading. Some students come in to get help with their homework or to have a test read. Others come in for a study period. A few stop in for a hug and words of encouragement, attend a class meeting or to grab something from the Snack Bin.

Every student is different. They do not all learn the same way or at the same rate. I try to help students identify the ways they learn best and then show them strategies to use when doing an assignment or taking tests.

This includes:

• breaking words into parts to make them easier to read.
• Stressing and reviewing vocabulary
• how to find information in their book so they can answer questions.
• how to study for tests. 
• basic life skills like filling out an application, reading and following a recipe, sewing on a button or balancing a checkbook.
• understanding the importance of soft job skills like being on time, following instructions, meeting deadlines and having a good attitude.

We also give our students encouragement to be better, and we expect them to do better. We won’t accept “good enough” unless that is their best. We tell them that we believe in them and they need to believe in themselves. Once my students realize that we care about them succeeding and not just good grades, we start seeing progress and improvement in the classroom. The more confidence students gain in their academic abilities, the more willing they are to try new experiences – sports, speech, drama and even a college class.

Over the last 30-plus years, some of the most important lessons taught in my room have come from the students themselves. I know for a fact that I am a better teacher for knowing the students who come to my room each day. 

Stop in and take a look for yourself the next time you’re in the building.

Lori Hermelbracht,  7-12 Resource Room