Month: October 2017
Inclusion
Inclusion should be at the forefront of every teachers practice. Yes, it would be easier and more streamlined to devise one way of teaching and expect all children to learn in that way. To classify those children that are able to learn in this way as “normal” and those that do not as “different” or with some sort of learning deficiency. This would be a mistake as each child has a unique way of learning that is formed both by their cognitive ability and their environment which should be the basis of a personalised method of teaching (Trussler, S & Robinson, D, p. 20).
As a society, we seem to love categorising individuals, especially in binary systems: male & female, black & white, gay & straight, religious & atheist, rich & poor, smart & dumb, normal & deficient. These classifiers tend to create a power dynamic between said groups, as society seems to put more importance on one experience and perception over the other. This creates the us vs. them mentality that we see dominating discussions and debates in the media, politics and society. We seem to forget that everyone’s experience is valid and that just because someone has a different way of seeing a situation doesn’t make anyone’s way any less valid or wrong. We are all just an amalgamation of appropriations from our environment and experiences. I believe it is much more important to be aware of and question the dynamics of society that have created our unique perceptions and to not feel threatened by different perceptions that we may interact with. All insights are valid and can be helpful for understanding and expanding other perceptions.
When working in the classroom with children from different families, backgrounds and beliefs, it is key for teachers to be open to different ways of understanding and perceiving. This can relate to everything from teaching students who cannot speak the classroom language to students who have SEND or in discussions with children about their views and beliefs of the world. Through my experience at the International School of Lausanne, politics seemed to be a hot topic for most classrooms where students represented a wide range of opinions and backgrounds. I realised the importance of listening to each student’s views and not judging them for it but rather trying to make connections through questioning and linking their different ideas to each other’s interpretations. Students felt heard and valued and stayed away from us vs. them rhetoric. They started seeing the similarities and the multitude of layers that their opinions were actually formed from. Some students even started questioning their sources of information and seeing the limiting aspects that a set mind frame could have on their relationships and the way they interacted with the world.
For students with SEND or EAL I see this as very similar, just because a student has a slightly different way of processing information to the “norm” does not make their understanding any less valid. Through my involvement with SEND students and through my own experience of growing up with severe dyslexia, I have observed that when students with SEND are valorised, other students’ learning is expanded as well. By allowing and assisting children to figure out their unique way of learning, we can create a sense of pride and respect for each other’s methods and perceptions. Key to this is to coordinate all the possible scaffolding that a child may need by providing different resources that the students are able to choose from and decide whether they need them or not. By allowing children to take control of their own learning and to create an environment of questioning and the respectful sharing of ideas, teachers can empower children in their learning not only of the curriculum but how they interact with each other and the world.
References
‘Understanding special educational needs, disability and inclusive education’. Chapter 1 in Trussler, S & Robinson, D (2015) Inclusive Practice in the Primary School: a guide for teachers. London: Sage.
Pedagogy
In our modern times, it is easy to get a little too focused on our recent technologies, to believe that the future of learning will solely be through a computer screen, making the role of the teacher obsolete. Goswami concludes in her report, Children’s cognitive development and learning, that ‘learning in young children is socially mediated’ explaining that even in the most basic of mechanical processes children require a certain amount of ‘direct social interaction’ for their learning to be successful (Goswami 2015, p. 24). In this same report, Goswami concludes that the main difference between the way children and adults ‘think and reason’ is the amount of experience that adults are able to tap into to self-regulate and reflect on (Goswami 2015, p. 25). Goswami highlights the importance of proper modelling from the teacher in a multitude of situations and social interactions, for children to develop a good knowledge base for different circumstances. Through discussion with peers and adults alike young children are able to slowly build a map that enables them to navigate the social constructs that govern most of our day-to-day interactions (Goswami, 2015, p. 25).
Through my experience in different classrooms, I have seen several situations in which teachers deal with both of the aspects. E-learning has become a staple in most schools I have worked with. Instead of the children being left on their own though, teachers group students together with one device, usually an Ipad, asking children to work together and to compete against one another in games. When issues arose because of jealousy or misunderstanding the teachers were quick to intervene and open a discussion about the class rules and different behaviours that are considered acceptable and not. Though technology seemed to be of importance in the classroom, it was never the main focus and its use was usually for less than 15 minutes. This allowed children to familiarise themselves with the technologies that are prevalent without missing out on the benefits of social interactions. One tendency I noticed in one classroom though, was a certain level of unease and misunderstanding of technology from the teacher. Goswami’s conclusion on modelling proper behaviours enables us to reason that the students in this classroom would appropriate the teacher’s mistrust and misunderstandings of the functionality of certain technologies. Modelling was not solely around technology though. In one instance a teacher who was unable to get her classroom to calm down and listen placed herself in the quiet corner (which is where the children could go to calm down when they are feeling frustrated). By modelling the behaviour being implemented by the students, the teacher was able to tap into the students’ empathy for her and her frustration. The students not only changed their behaviour because of this but also really understood the implications that their behaviour could have on their teacher and thus learning experience.
When working with my future learners, I will be sure to put into practice Goswami’s conclusions. I believe that it will be critical to have a varied amount of interactions and to not be afraid of incorporating parents, as well as other students and teachers, from the school. Goswami states that ‘Families, peers and teachers are all important’ creating as many different kinds of interactions that the students can learn from and build their knowledge base on (Goswami, 2015, p. 24). Though I still see the significance of e-learning and the use of technology, Goswami has converted me to understand that it should never be the focus, especially for young learners. I will be sure to generate an environment allowing children to interact and converse about their learning while moderating and modelling behaviours of intrigue, resilience, respect and camaraderie.
References
Goswami, U. (2015) Children’s cognitive development and learning; Report for the Cambridge Primary Review Trust [online].
Available: http://cprtrust.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/COMPLETE-REPORT-Goswami-Childrens-Cognitive-Development-and-Learning.pdf
[Accessed Oct 4th, 2017]