ACTT National Quality Assurance Conference Remembering Who I Am
in Teacher Education Nov 17-18, 2011 NAPA Dr. Pearl Rivers
Slide 3
This study emerged from the outcome of an assignment which was
given to student-teachers enrolled in the course- Classroom
Management EDFN301. The course was offered to Third Year Bachelor
of Education majors at the University of Trinidad and Tobago
(UTT).
Slide 4
Classroom managers strive to create and maintain a positive
learning environment, optimize learning time and produce self-
regulated students. Dr. Pearl Rivers
Slide 5
Assumptions Effective classroom managers are models of the
values, attitudes and behaviours required of students. Values of
love, caring, honesty, integrity, trust, fairness, justice, order,
empathy, objectivity, good relational skills and being flexible are
critical elements in creating and maintaining a positive classroom
climate.
Slide 6
Assumptions Some student-teachers came with baggage which could
have negative influence on their effectiveness as classroom
managers. Reflection and introspection were important practices of
effective classroom managers.
Slide 7
Rationale for the course assignment To help student-teachers
examine themselves and deal with their baggage in order to
effectively function as classroom managers. They were to formulate
and implement a Personal Enhancement Programme to address the
apparent shortcoming. Dr. Pearl Rivers
Slide 8
The objective of the assignment was to help student-teachers
get rid of baggage which, if left untreated could limit the goal of
the university to produce a teacher who is emotionally stable,
disciplined, teachable, sensitive and caring and who possesses
other personal characteristics required for successful teaching and
learning.
Slide 9
Description of the assignment Identify an aspect of your
personal life that needs enhancing for you to be an effective
classroom manager and plan a Personal Enhancement Programme to deal
with the aspect identified. Implement the plan and record journal
entries of your progress. Submit a copy of your plan and ONE
journal entry for each of the first four weeks. Include your
feedback on the programme: the impact of the programme on your
personal life; how the impact will affect your ability to manage a
classroom; your plans for greater improvement and maintenance of
the change. Dr. Pearl Rivers
Slide 10
Definitions Definitions Baggage refers to those attitudes,
values, mindsets and behaviours that are not in keeping with
acceptable social norms and standards and which have been
internalized and appear to be part of the life-style or modus
operandi of student-teachers. Dr. Pearl Rivers
Slide 11
Student-teacher A person enrolled in the Bachelor of Education
programme (BEd) for the purpose of receiving training and
qualification to become a teacher. Definitions
Slide 12
Personal Enhancement An elimination of those mindsets and
behaviour which constitute baggage and replacing with worthwhile
and beneficial qualities Dr. Pearl Rivers Definitions
Slide 13
Classroom Manager is a teacher and his/her capability to create
and maintain a positive learning environment so as to optimize
teaching and learning time. Dr. Pearl Rivers Definitions
Slide 14
Questions that guided the analysis of students feedback What
were the personal issues identified by student-teachers as baggage?
What effect the exercise had on student- teachers? Did the Personal
Enhancement Programme produce the desired outcome? What were
student-teachers opinion of the programmes impact on their
performance as classroom managers? What were student-teachers
recommendations for improving the Personal Enhancement exercise?
Dr. Pearl Rivers
Slide 15
Outcome of the programme Outcome of the programme Dr. Pearl
Rivers Aspects of students lives identified
Slide 16
Emotional Issues Unforgiveness Uncontrolled anger Temper
Feelings of rejection Low self-esteem Fear to stand in front of a
class Fear of crowds Dislike for male students Fluctuating periods
of depression Easily offended Pessimism Prejudice Judgmental
Dislike of self Lack of interpersonal skills Dr. Pearl Rivers
Slide 17
Identified areas Personal Management Unpunctuality Disorganized
Lack of focus Poor study habits Attitudes Unteachable Arrogant Lazy
Disrespectful Dr. Pearl Rivers
Slide 18
Physical and Health Issues OO besity PP oor eating habits AA
ddiction to alcohol AA ddiction to cigarettes SS erious health
challenges SS peaking too fast Identified areas Ethical and Moral
Values Dishonesty Lack of integrity Partiality/social bias
Irresponsibility Uncontrolled use of obscene language Promiscuity
Dr. Pearl Rivers
Slide 19
Feedback from students The plan helped me control my attitude
and temper and I did not have as many outbursts as I usually have
for simple matters. I have grown in terms of overcoming my fear of
public speaking. I am not that timid to express myself and stand in
front of my class or groups. After these six weeks these plans,
procedures and schedules have become part of me. I am experiencing
early to bed, early to rise and in so doing, I have been reaching
to classes and other appointments on time. Dr. Pearl Rivers
Slide 20
Feedback from students cont Before doing this assignment I was
not aware of how my attitudes and values affected not only my life
but those around me. I did not realize how much I was hurting my
loved ones. This assignment has helped me develop into a better
daughter, sister and friend. A small group of students reported
that initially they did not think they had any quality that
required addressing but after introspection several areas of
shortcomings were identified. Dr. Pearl Rivers
Slide 21
Feedback from students cont most of them vowed to continue the
exercise, as more time was required to achieve the desired outcome.
Some students indicated that they were apprehensive and attempted
the assignment only because it was an assessable exercise. Dr.
Pearl Rivers
Slide 22
summary of student-teachers recommendations All teachers should
be exposed to this exercise; The duration of the programme was too
short. More time should be allowed since personal transformation
and enhancement was progressive in nature and takes time; The
programme should be introduced to students in the first year to
allow time for internalization. Dr. Pearl Rivers
Slide 23
Why focus on me the teacher a teachers professional practice is
an expression of who the teacher is - the person of the teacher. As
educators, we know that who we are and the baggage we carry have a
more potent or equally potent influence on student learning and
development than our mastery of subject content, our critical
thinking abilities and our pedagogical skills. A teacher with a mix
of emotional complexities (baggage) would be less effective as a
professional teacher and a classroom manager. Dr. Pearl Rivers
Slide 24
Why focus on me the teacher In teacher education programmes
emphasis is usually placed on the acquisition of subject content
and pedagogical skills with lesser emphasis on personal development
of teachers. Dr. Pearl Rivers
Slide 25
Why focus on me the teacher student-teachers prior experiences
as learners serve as powerful templates for the ways in which they
practice as teachers (Berry 2004) Student-teachers are products of
their societies and undoubtedly their conception of teaching and
learning as well as their response to training are influenced by
their accumulated experiences and the resultant baggage. Dr. Pearl
Rivers
Slide 26
Why focus on me the teacher The teacher plays a critical role
in accomplishing the goal of classroom management. A teachers
emotional and social well being and organizing capability are
intimately connected to the job of teaching since teachers action
reflected emotional involvement (Kelchtemans, 2005) Dr. Pearl
Rivers
Slide 27
Why focus on me the teacher A teacher with a mix of emotional
baggage: hurts, unforgiveness, anger, bitterness, insecurities,
fear, feelings of rejection and who lacks ethical and moral
principles and values will experience difficulty meeting the
demands and expectations of an effective classroom manager. Dr.
Pearl Rivers
Slide 28
Why focus on me the teacher The goal of classroom management
demands that the teacher be emotionally healthy, practice good self
management and displays acceptable ethical and moral principles and
standards. Dr. Pearl Rivers
Slide 29
conclusion The assignment revealed the extent of baggage that
student-teachers brought into the Bachelor of Education Programme.
This revelation underscores the need to address these questionable
personal issues. Greater focus must therefore be placed on the
person of the teacher, since who I am - who the teacher is and the
baggage he/she carries influence performance and student learning
and development.
Slide 30
Further Investigation The outcome of the Personal Enhancement
exercise drew attention to the need to scientifically investigate
this further in terms of its effects. To determine what impact, if
any, the programme still has on students personal life; To
determine what impact if any the programme still has on students
performance in the classroom; Dr. Pearl Rivers
Slide 31
Further Investigation To determine the variety of personal
issues that are prevailing among the population from which the
teachers come; To determine the approaches that can assist in
positive change; To determine the possibility of developing and
instituting a formalized personal enhancement programme as a
mandatory component of a Bachelor of Education Programme for
perspective teachers. Dr. Pearl Rivers
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