Journal entry 2: Education Foundations

What do Stan’s students want and need from him? Stan must begin by asking himself this question. When his situation is described, it seems that Stan’s students need him to provide them with the motivation to learn. Churchill (2011) describes how individuals both ‘think and feel simultaneously.’ Stan has identified the difficulties facing his students in terms of their motivation and engagement with school, but has not connected these issues with the physical problems he is facing in class. The students are being faced with increasingly difficult situations out of school, and their feelings about these changes are affecting their learning. By addressing this fact Stan may find he is able to not only address the behavioral issues within his class, but also engage and teach his students.

Zyngier (2008) identifies the issue of connecting classroom pedagogy with a students real-life situation, especially in the case of disadvantaged or minority backgrounds. Stan has noticed the lack of parent involvement, gang behaviour and the distinct separation of cultures in the wider community. These issues are directly affecting the motivation and engagement of the students, but Stan has not made this connection. It has also been shown that if the home life of a student is similar to the dominant school culture, they are more likely to engage with the school (Zyngier, 2008). The real-life situations of the students are obviously not being addressed in their learning. Stan needs to first gain an understanding of the behaviours. Students have unconscious needs, and when behaviour cannot be controlled by any means, it may be a compulsion to fulfill these unmet needs (Churchill, 2011). Stan is spending his time concerned with the outside issues facing students. His focus should be supporting students within the classroom. This in turn provides them with self worth and confidence allowing them to deal with issues outside the classroom (Churchill, 2011). Students will consciously or unconsciously identify with these tools as they are relevant to their outside lives, due to the perception of value or importance (Churchill, 2011).

Stan’s attitude towards his students shows his lack of confidence in them. He also describes his ability to motivate his students as a ‘battle’. Zyngier (2008), states that the common belief is that a lack of student engagement is the students fault, and that it is the student who needs to change. In this situation Stan’s ability as a teacher can be questioned. In an environment where students are falling asleep and are misbehaving in class, there is obviously a culture of learned helplessness. Students have a belief that what they are learning in class is not relevant, or they are not capable of understanding or learning the content (Churchill, 2011). Stan needs to foster motivation by first making his students feel accepted by him (Churchill, 2011). Because Stan holds a presumptive belief of the abilities of his students, his thinking translates directly into his actions (Zyngier, 2008). Student would be able to perceive his belief in their abilities. Other aspects of stimulating motivation include providing a safe and supportive learning environment as well as providing the students with some control over their learning environment (Churchill, 2011). Stan wants his students to sit down and do their work quietly, which is providing a structured environment where student know what is expected this is turn reduces stress and anxiety, but is not addressing other needs such as self worth and self esteem (Churchill, 2011).

Stan is using behaviour as an indicator of student engagement. His perception is that because his students are not behaving they must not be learning. He expects that the school should fix this problem, so that he can then teach. Stan needs to acknowledge the different levels of engagement, and if he cannot control the behaviour to try and use another tool. Other aspects of engagement should be considered as well, including, Enjoyment, Being Motivated, Thinking, Seeing Purpose and Owning (Harris, 2008). By planning learning with his students, using their ideas and life experience to direct outcomes (Harris, 2008), he could achieve engagement at a different level to simply ‘sit(ting) down quietly and do(ing) the work he sets for them’.

Stan has grouped his students as not wanting to learn, either sleeping, being in a ‘gang’ or are from a group of ‘new Australians’ who have different values. He has not grouped his student in a way that identifies their learning styles or abilities. This again reflects his belief that the students are the problem. An individuals learning style is classed as ‘The way in which an individual character acquires, retains and retrieves information’ (Pye, 2007). Stan’s style of teaching, sitting students down to complete work he has set would only engage certain types of learners, therefore isolating these that need more interaction, movement and creativity. Pye, 2007 also states that all students actually want varying styles of learning environments.  Stan does not provide this, therefore would eventually isolate all the learning styles in his class. Stan needs to think of all learners by including, for example, group work, experiments, reading aloud, videos and allowing for independent work (Davis, 2010).

Stan has a decided opinion of his students and the support being provided by the school. This is being demonstrated in every aspect of his teaching, which in turn is being reflected in his classes by the poor behaviour, lack of motivation and engagement. All this is a clear message to Stan that he needs to make changes to how he is teaching. By accepting that the life changes in the community that he has noticed are affecting his students within school he can begin to address what his students need from him as a teacher. Stan needs to begin by helping his students learn self worth and confidence in their abilities. Then by making changes in the planning of learning, as well as employing a variety of methods of delivery, he will be able to engage with his students and give them the best possible education in his classroom.