Managing the Learning Process
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'...because teaching can take up lots of our lives in one way or another, an increasing number of us want to find out more about ourselves, our teaching and the relationship between the two. Then we ask ourselves, how can we use what we discovered to guide our future development? In individual terms, how can I become the best teacher I can be for my students?' (Edge, 1992, 1)
Self Reflection Activity
Teaching is generally viewed by many as just another activity that teachers do in classrooms with students. Many people fail to perceive the ongoing planning and scheduling, the reflections and manifestations and the analytical and methodological processes that a teacher has to execute everyday before walking into her classroom.
It is essentially important for a teacher to guide and facilitate students using various pedagogical approaches and methods in activating their own learning and thinking skills while at the same time taking into consideration their background knowledge, environment, and their own learning objectives.
Self Reflection Activity
How would you describe a conductive and positive learning environment for the students? What are the characteristics?
The process of learning can simply be defined as 'a formal act of preservation of information and skills' (Spolsky) where students and the teacher involved learn and teach the targeted subject in an organized manner following a specific syllabus.
The process of learning often aspires for learners to acquire the adroitness and the dexterity of the targeted subject.
However, it is important for one to realize and comprehend that the learning goal will not be consummated if learners are positioned in an environment or milieu that is not apposite and suitable to gratify their learning process.
A conducive and positive learning atmosphere should have the following:
Knowledge of
Targeted Subject
The practiced educational system requires the teacher to help diffuse facts, principles, thoughts, values and ethics from particular sources to learners. Therefore, it is vitally important and necessary for the teacher to know her materials before assisting students with their own work.
Student's socioeconomic background
Teachers should be aware of the different social, financial, political, educational and even religious background of the student, all in the effort of creating a comfortable and contented environment for both teacher and the rest of the class.
Evaluating the learning process
A teacher should also possess the expertise in correcting errors made by students using appropriate schemes without hurting or discouraging the efforts made by the students.
Appropriateness of
The syllabus
A teacher should constantly formulate her lessons accordingly to the syllabus or scheme of work allocate so that she would be able to deliver the lesson accordingly and not create an environment of confusion in class.
Time available
A teacher should also devise a lesson that would be manageable in the time slot that she has with her respective students. Time management is important in order to create a conducive learning environment so that students won't be rushed into understanding complex structures of the lesson as well.
Items that needs to be covered
Teachers should also be aware of the items that need to be covered in a class. The items taught must be relevant to students in terms of content and purpose. Apart from that, teachers too must be attentive to provide relevant examples that caters and suits student's age, gender and interest.
Grading and assessment
Teachers should be reasonable and rational when assessing students. It is important for a teacher to poise questions accordingly to the proficiency ability of the students. All students should deserve a fair opportunity at being assessed based on their own capability.
Balance
There should be a balance of activities assigned both in class and as homework so that students would be able to focus and express themselves clearly.
Teacher/ Learner Attitudes
A teacher should always abide the fact that she is committed to her profession and her students. She should by all means, put aside her own personal agendas or interests when teaching and be motivated one way or another to generate knowledge and interest in the subject matter taught. She should also be in good time to class and her attitude should at all times be approachable and positive. By doing all that, she would indirectly be a motivation to her students, and circuitously her students would be committed to her and her lessons.
Physical Classroom Environment
In order to have a healthy learning classroom, the physical environment of the class should be looked into as well. The furnishings of the class should be in good endurable condition. The lights and the air conditioning should be functioning and other teaching equipment namely the LCD projector or the OHP projector should also be in excellent condition. Apart from that, the physical size of the classroom should also be able to accommodate the number of students registered for the class.
Classroom Culture
Rules and regulations
It is important to lay out the ground rules of expectations in terms of assessments , eating in class, sharing or copying assignments, etc. so that students would be aware and content with the learning process in the class.
Space
A teacher should at all times create boundaries of space in the class. She should make it clear from the very beginning of the course about her need to be respected and heard when it's her time to deliver the lesson. Along with that she also needs to focalize the verity that she too will do the same when its their turn to be heard.
Amalgamation of moral skills
The incorporation of moral skills and values in a lesson would definitely help students to learn efficiently and positively. Moral skills like being responsible for one's own action, tolerance, patience would definably not only aide students into being better humans but it would also complement the learning environment that the students are in.
Hygiene
Apart from that, another important factor that influences a positive learning environment would be the hygienic condition of the classroom. A class that is well cleaned would definitely affect the learning aptitude of students.
Creative and Critical Thinking Skills
A teacher should always minimize the teacher 'talk time' and instead encourage students to participate in the class by presenting opportunities where students are able to the following freely, with proper facilitation from the teacher.
i. discussion
ii. inference
iii. team work
iv. presentations
b. What are some issues the teachers would have to address in order to provide a learning environment that is conducive to the students?
An enthusiastic teacher never fails to maneuvers issues and problems related to the teaching and learning process.
In order to have a successful and a thriving lesson in the targeted subject, she must take the following few out of hundreds of issues into contemplation when planning, developing, managing and teaching the targeted subject:
Purpose and Motivation
It is important for a teacher to outline and make sense of the numerous purposes of students learning the targeted subject so that she would be able to design the lesson to outfit their needs, for different students learn for different purposes. For an example, in an English class, a student might want to learn the language for the sake of communicating with friends from other countries, while another student may learn the language for the reason that the subject is a compulsory subject in school and not be interested in study it.
Geographical Location
A teacher has to plan and make the best of the situation or state that she and her learners are in. She must take into consideration the number of resources that are available to her students before ambitiously assigning homework to them.
Urban - a majority of students have a greater exposure to input, namely from resources like the media, the internet and academic journal articles. Students too are able to move from one place to another in order to attain their much-needed study materials.
Rural - Most students in rural areas often have limited excess to resources. They have to rely on the materials that are available in the local or school library and teacher's notes.
Religion and Culture
A teacher should also deals with issues concerning the diverse religious and cultural practices practiced by some of her students. She has to understand and accept the religious cultural norms but at the same time nattily lay across the teachings that she has planned without alarming the student concerned.
Schemata Knowledge / Competence
A teacher has to also address the actuality state of student's schemata knowledge on the subject matter being taught. She has too by all means, understand and make the best out of whatever acquaintance or knowledge the student brings to her class.
Artificial Intelligences/ Learner Type
A teacher, in order to promote a conducive classroom should also be aware of the different intelligences of her students. She has to be adaptable and versatile to attend and provide sufficient information that would be accessible and comprehensive to all students.
Learning Styles
A teacher has to cater to all the different learning styles that would be beneficial to the lesson. The teacher in question needs to be sensitive to and accommodate students' preferences for learning styles. Example, the concrete learner (games/ pictures/videos) applies different learning strategies compared to an analytical learner (studying grammar, reading dictionaries).
What are some specific student behavior that are potentially disruptive to the learning environment?
It is indisputable that a handful of students every so often can be potentially disruptive in a classroom, forcing the teacher in class and other students to fume. The table below clearly illustrates the behavior that can lead to non-constructiveness and negativity in a learning classroom.
Tailored from 'Classroom Management' by Lisa Rodriguez, PhD cited from http://www.4faculty .org/includes/108r2.jsp
Behavior
Frequently late for class
Late in submitting assigned assignments
Passive in class participation
Noisy and loud in class
Laughs at friend's attempt to answer
Bullying
Copying/ cheating in class/ plagiarism
Sleeping/snoring in class
Talking / sms-ing (Hand phones )
Listening to the Mp3 player
Poor hygiene
Eating and drinking in class
Monopolizing the discussions in class
Sexist remarks
What are some common antisocial behavior from the teachers that may invoke negative responses from the students?
An appealing and interesting article on 'Improving Classroom Behavior & Social Skills' (cited in http://www.msu.edu/~chaoyu/CEP840.html),writer Yu Chi Chao discusses vibrantly about how a teacher's attitude, behavior, setting of expectations and positive action can in turn influence their student's behavior and again at the same time determine student's learning environment.
'Teachers should be aware of the fact that they are powerful behavioral role models and therefore should hold themselves to the same standards for civility and respect that they expect of their students.' (Cited in http://www.msu.edu/~chaoyu/CEP840.html)
The table below confers some of the many, common anti social behavior consciously or subconsciously executed by members of the faculty, the teachers, which may invoke negative responses from students.
Anti social Behavior Cause - Effect
Ignoring on purpose - Teachers may purposely ignore the particular student when he/she asks questions or inquires about something that the teacher doesn't want to talk about. Example - This may be seen when teacher tells the student to keep quiet and listen to what he has to say. Student may feel angered at being ignored. In return, student might rudely raise his/her voice at the teacher and demand to be heard.
Courtesy - The teacher doesn't show any consideration or courtesy to student when talking. Example - This may be seen in the teacher's body language: no eye contact/ no smile/ gestures of brushing of the student when communicating with him or her. The student might be offended and in return be verbally rude and loud to the particular teacher. After all, 'one should treat others the way they would want to be treated.'
Display trust and confidence - The teacher fails to keep what the student had confessed or spoken to him/her in a private conversation. Instead, the teacher jabbers out aloud to others about the private conversation he/she had with the particular student. The angered and humiliated student might approach the teacher and question him/her about discharging the private message to public.
Self control- Listening - The teacher needs to consistently and unfailingly control his/her own temper, negative thoughts and emotions in order to influence control over students or classroom Negative begets negative behavior (http://www.mrsdryzal.com/behavior.html)
Punishment / Penalty - Teacher punishes students for misbehaving or for lateness in submitting assignments without considering their reasons or even their age- the punishment given is inappropriate for student's age. The student will feel insulted and angered and thus will be rude and disruptive in the classroom or when in conversation with the particular teacher.
Self Reflection Activity
Teaching is generally viewed by many as just another activity that teachers do in classrooms with students. Many people fail to perceive the ongoing planning and scheduling, the reflections and manifestations and the analytical and methodological processes that a teacher has to execute everyday before walking into her classroom.
It is essentially important for a teacher to guide and facilitate students using various pedagogical approaches and methods in activating their own learning and thinking skills while at the same time taking into consideration their background knowledge, environment, and their own learning objectives.
Self Reflection Activity
How would you describe a conductive and positive learning environment for the students? What are the characteristics?
The process of learning can simply be defined as 'a formal act of preservation of information and skills' (Spolsky) where students and the teacher involved learn and teach the targeted subject in an organized manner following a specific syllabus.
The process of learning often aspires for learners to acquire the adroitness and the dexterity of the targeted subject.
However, it is important for one to realize and comprehend that the learning goal will not be consummated if learners are positioned in an environment or milieu that is not apposite and suitable to gratify their learning process.
A conducive and positive learning atmosphere should have the following:
Knowledge of
Targeted Subject
The practiced educational system requires the teacher to help diffuse facts, principles, thoughts, values and ethics from particular sources to learners. Therefore, it is vitally important and necessary for the teacher to know her materials before assisting students with their own work.
Student's socioeconomic background
Teachers should be aware of the different social, financial, political, educational and even religious background of the student, all in the effort of creating a comfortable and contented environment for both teacher and the rest of the class.
Evaluating the learning process
A teacher should also possess the expertise in correcting errors made by students using appropriate schemes without hurting or discouraging the efforts made by the students.
Appropriateness of
The syllabus
A teacher should constantly formulate her lessons accordingly to the syllabus or scheme of work allocate so that she would be able to deliver the lesson accordingly and not create an environment of confusion in class.
Time available
A teacher should also devise a lesson that would be manageable in the time slot that she has with her respective students. Time management is important in order to create a conducive learning environment so that students won't be rushed into understanding complex structures of the lesson as well.
Items that needs to be covered
Teachers should also be aware of the items that need to be covered in a class. The items taught must be relevant to students in terms of content and purpose. Apart from that, teachers too must be attentive to provide relevant examples that caters and suits student's age, gender and interest.
Grading and assessment
Teachers should be reasonable and rational when assessing students. It is important for a teacher to poise questions accordingly to the proficiency ability of the students. All students should deserve a fair opportunity at being assessed based on their own capability.
Balance
There should be a balance of activities assigned both in class and as homework so that students would be able to focus and express themselves clearly.
Teacher/ Learner Attitudes
A teacher should always abide the fact that she is committed to her profession and her students. She should by all means, put aside her own personal agendas or interests when teaching and be motivated one way or another to generate knowledge and interest in the subject matter taught. She should also be in good time to class and her attitude should at all times be approachable and positive. By doing all that, she would indirectly be a motivation to her students, and circuitously her students would be committed to her and her lessons.
Physical Classroom Environment
In order to have a healthy learning classroom, the physical environment of the class should be looked into as well. The furnishings of the class should be in good endurable condition. The lights and the air conditioning should be functioning and other teaching equipment namely the LCD projector or the OHP projector should also be in excellent condition. Apart from that, the physical size of the classroom should also be able to accommodate the number of students registered for the class.
Classroom Culture
Rules and regulations
It is important to lay out the ground rules of expectations in terms of assessments , eating in class, sharing or copying assignments, etc. so that students would be aware and content with the learning process in the class.
Space
A teacher should at all times create boundaries of space in the class. She should make it clear from the very beginning of the course about her need to be respected and heard when it's her time to deliver the lesson. Along with that she also needs to focalize the verity that she too will do the same when its their turn to be heard.
Amalgamation of moral skills
The incorporation of moral skills and values in a lesson would definitely help students to learn efficiently and positively. Moral skills like being responsible for one's own action, tolerance, patience would definably not only aide students into being better humans but it would also complement the learning environment that the students are in.
Hygiene
Apart from that, another important factor that influences a positive learning environment would be the hygienic condition of the classroom. A class that is well cleaned would definitely affect the learning aptitude of students.
Creative and Critical Thinking Skills
A teacher should always minimize the teacher 'talk time' and instead encourage students to participate in the class by presenting opportunities where students are able to the following freely, with proper facilitation from the teacher.
i. discussion
ii. inference
iii. team work
iv. presentations
b. What are some issues the teachers would have to address in order to provide a learning environment that is conducive to the students?
An enthusiastic teacher never fails to maneuvers issues and problems related to the teaching and learning process.
In order to have a successful and a thriving lesson in the targeted subject, she must take the following few out of hundreds of issues into contemplation when planning, developing, managing and teaching the targeted subject:
Purpose and Motivation
It is important for a teacher to outline and make sense of the numerous purposes of students learning the targeted subject so that she would be able to design the lesson to outfit their needs, for different students learn for different purposes. For an example, in an English class, a student might want to learn the language for the sake of communicating with friends from other countries, while another student may learn the language for the reason that the subject is a compulsory subject in school and not be interested in study it.
Geographical Location
A teacher has to plan and make the best of the situation or state that she and her learners are in. She must take into consideration the number of resources that are available to her students before ambitiously assigning homework to them.
Urban - a majority of students have a greater exposure to input, namely from resources like the media, the internet and academic journal articles. Students too are able to move from one place to another in order to attain their much-needed study materials.
Rural - Most students in rural areas often have limited excess to resources. They have to rely on the materials that are available in the local or school library and teacher's notes.
Religion and Culture
A teacher should also deals with issues concerning the diverse religious and cultural practices practiced by some of her students. She has to understand and accept the religious cultural norms but at the same time nattily lay across the teachings that she has planned without alarming the student concerned.
Schemata Knowledge / Competence
A teacher has to also address the actuality state of student's schemata knowledge on the subject matter being taught. She has too by all means, understand and make the best out of whatever acquaintance or knowledge the student brings to her class.
Artificial Intelligences/ Learner Type
A teacher, in order to promote a conducive classroom should also be aware of the different intelligences of her students. She has to be adaptable and versatile to attend and provide sufficient information that would be accessible and comprehensive to all students.
Learning Styles
A teacher has to cater to all the different learning styles that would be beneficial to the lesson. The teacher in question needs to be sensitive to and accommodate students' preferences for learning styles. Example, the concrete learner (games/ pictures/videos) applies different learning strategies compared to an analytical learner (studying grammar, reading dictionaries).
What are some specific student behavior that are potentially disruptive to the learning environment?
It is indisputable that a handful of students every so often can be potentially disruptive in a classroom, forcing the teacher in class and other students to fume. The table below clearly illustrates the behavior that can lead to non-constructiveness and negativity in a learning classroom.
Tailored from 'Classroom Management' by Lisa Rodriguez, PhD cited from http://www.4faculty .org/includes/108r2.jsp
Behavior
Frequently late for class
Late in submitting assigned assignments
Passive in class participation
Noisy and loud in class
Laughs at friend's attempt to answer
Bullying
Copying/ cheating in class/ plagiarism
Sleeping/snoring in class
Talking / sms-ing (Hand phones )
Listening to the Mp3 player
Poor hygiene
Eating and drinking in class
Monopolizing the discussions in class
Sexist remarks
What are some common antisocial behavior from the teachers that may invoke negative responses from the students?
An appealing and interesting article on 'Improving Classroom Behavior & Social Skills' (cited in http://www.msu.edu/~chaoyu/CEP840.html),writer Yu Chi Chao discusses vibrantly about how a teacher's attitude, behavior, setting of expectations and positive action can in turn influence their student's behavior and again at the same time determine student's learning environment.
'Teachers should be aware of the fact that they are powerful behavioral role models and therefore should hold themselves to the same standards for civility and respect that they expect of their students.' (Cited in http://www.msu.edu/~chaoyu/CEP840.html)
The table below confers some of the many, common anti social behavior consciously or subconsciously executed by members of the faculty, the teachers, which may invoke negative responses from students.
Anti social Behavior Cause - Effect
Ignoring on purpose - Teachers may purposely ignore the particular student when he/she asks questions or inquires about something that the teacher doesn't want to talk about. Example - This may be seen when teacher tells the student to keep quiet and listen to what he has to say. Student may feel angered at being ignored. In return, student might rudely raise his/her voice at the teacher and demand to be heard.
Courtesy - The teacher doesn't show any consideration or courtesy to student when talking. Example - This may be seen in the teacher's body language: no eye contact/ no smile/ gestures of brushing of the student when communicating with him or her. The student might be offended and in return be verbally rude and loud to the particular teacher. After all, 'one should treat others the way they would want to be treated.'
Display trust and confidence - The teacher fails to keep what the student had confessed or spoken to him/her in a private conversation. Instead, the teacher jabbers out aloud to others about the private conversation he/she had with the particular student. The angered and humiliated student might approach the teacher and question him/her about discharging the private message to public.
Self control- Listening - The teacher needs to consistently and unfailingly control his/her own temper, negative thoughts and emotions in order to influence control over students or classroom Negative begets negative behavior (http://www.mrsdryzal.com/behavior.html)
Punishment / Penalty - Teacher punishes students for misbehaving or for lateness in submitting assignments without considering their reasons or even their age- the punishment given is inappropriate for student's age. The student will feel insulted and angered and thus will be rude and disruptive in the classroom or when in conversation with the particular teacher.
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