Rapid Changes in the Educational Field - Case Study Example

2000 notional key incidents Assignment: Critical Incident Report Introduction The educational field is undergoing rapid change due to progress in science and technology. Non-availability of qualified and competitive teaching staff is an important barrier to the educational needs of modern society. But Induction Standards on teaching pedagogy for NQT can overcome this barrier and can mould the teachers to a competitive generation. In addition, NQT induction leads to high improvement in teaching-learning process within an institution. The impact of the induction year on classroom practice is high and helps the individual teacher to lead his/her students towards independent learning. Thesis statement: An analysis, with the help of 3 case studies, to unearth the impact of Induction Standards on teaching-learning process. Case 1 1. Background-the incident The primary aim of an individual teacher in the classroom environment is to develop professional and constructive relationships with his/her learners. So, I selected James, who is a year eight Special educational needs (SEN) registered student. Besides, he did not show any hesitation to describe himself as a tough boy with incorrectly worn uniform and a banned hoodie with a big pocket. He did not show any sign of cooperation with his peers or even with his Teaching Assistant. As he was physically strong, he used to intimidate his peers and staff. When the Teaching Assistant asks him a question, he used to behave aggressively. But I very well knew that communication and cooperation with students will lead to proper discipline in the classroom environment. As a teacher, I have to win back the class but without ignoring James. So, I planned lessons to accommodate James into the classroom activities. I organized a debate on the topic ‘my design is better than yours because’. Then I divided the class into two and included James in the second group. Then I supplied a roll of cello-tape for the first group and an electrical plug for the second group. Both the groups became active and began to develop their own designs. But my primary aim of the debate was to guide James to be cooperative in classroom activities. I very well knew that James was so interested in Sports, especially football. So, I introduced a small practice debate on the theme ‘Manchester United is better than Chelsea because?’ and introduced the rules and processes of the same. I made use of Behaviour management techniques and strategies in the classroom in an innovative way by inculcating innovative learning experiences and activities. I joined as a member of James’ team in the debate and motivated him to be active in the debate. This helped me to know more about his potential and reason behind his behavioural problem. Besides, I sought help from my colleagues to transform James to a responsible minded and obedient student. 2. Tutors reflections One can see that the ultimate responsibility of a teacher is to protect and safeguard the rights and well-being of the learners and to perform according to professional duties under the statutory framework. As a follow up program to my decision, I decided to identify the reason behind the neglecting attitude of other students towards James. But I did not like to reveal the real motive behind the initiation of debate in the classroom and I have to safeguard special educational needs and disabilities of my student. I decided to plan effective learning activities which can accommodate James also. Besides, I provided purposeful and safe learning environment to James. But the most difficult task was to plan interesting but purposeful learning activities according to the needs of an SEN registered student. But my colleagues helped me a lot to overcome this critical situation. It is important to point out that teachers must be capable to meet the individual needs of his/her learner. The pedagogical knowledge on behavioral management will be most helpful for an individual teacher to implement his/her Professional knowledge and understanding in the classroom environment. At the same time, an individual teacher must show utmost interest to promote children and young people’s development and well-being. Besides, teachers must be open-minded to recognize contributions of their colleagues, parents and others in teaching-learning process. 3. Learning Points From the case 1, one can identify that effective planning and assessment is helpful to achieve learning objectives. Rogers (2000, p.29) states that transparency about behavioural management is important for teachers and students to form secure teaching-learning process and collective environment. I discussed with James’ parents, other teachers, and local arrangements about the problems faced by James in the classroom. Considering their opinion, I planned innovative activities and homework for James. Besides, I was so interested to support and guide James to be an independent learner. Butt (2006, p.19) makes clear that an individual teacher possesses professional responsibility to make use of apt method and style in teaching and must make sure that it nourishes the leaning process. In the classroom, I made use of appropriate range of teaching strategies and resources and motivated him to apply newly acquired knowledge. Fraser (1986, p. 182) opines that classroom environment deeply influence student achievement and achievable educational outcomes. Moreover, I helped James by using simple language according to his capacity. When I evaluated James’ performance, I came to know that his performance is showing gradual progress. I had shown creative and constructively critical approach towards innovation in classroom environment and success in James’ case prove that it is effective. Case 2 1. Background-the incident The case 2 selected for Critical Incident Report is the autocratic/despotic attitude of my former department head and it’s upon my colleagues and me. One can identify that teaching creative subjects like design/painting is a hard task. When the teacher’s role is to guide the learners who are not ready to take risk in their life, the teaching-learning process become monotonous. My department head was not ready to take risks and its end result was traditional mode of teaching with extreme disciplinary actions against the learners. My investigation on this issue helped me to understand more about my department head. He had spent many years in the RAF and developed leadership skills. But when he joined our department, his leadership skills hindered him from communicating with others. So he began to act like a despotic leader who does not value his/her subordinates. He was not ready to communicate and co-operate with his subordinates. Instead, he concentrated on assigning and scrutinizing difficult tasks. His superior attitude hindered him to work as team member to gain confidence and to understand one’s role in the team (say, department). So, his colleagues were not ready to cooperate with him and mechanically obeyed his rules and regulations. Some of the teaching staff was not ready to agree with the despotic attitude of my department head. In the winter term of 2008, they made clear that they were not ready to work with that despotic department head. As a protest, in the New Year, 5 members of our department left their office. Later, our department head left his office on some personal reasons. This case proves that discipline is important, but the way of executing discipline may badly affect the group members and eventually affect mutual understanding and cohesion within the group. Besides, several colleagues pointed out that unrestricted control badly affect creativity and morale. From another angle of view, our head’s efforts helped to maintain discipline among the student community. At the same time it badly affected the teaching staff. This incident proves that disciplinary measures that prove effective among the learners may not show same effect on teaching staff. 2. Tutors reflections My observation helped me a lot to understand more about our department head. For instance, one day, my department head observed my colleague’s lesson and provided feedback on hierarchy of design. The hierarchy of design is closely connected to the strength of front, middle and background of a structure/design. This format helps the whole structure to have proper order and sense in design. The advice given to my colleague helped me to have a deeper understanding of physical structure and its application in painting. Besides, it helped me to have clearer idea on basic concepts of Art as a unique medium of expression. In addition, my department head’s feedback made clear that his disciplinary actions or exercising control had close relation with the hierarchy of design. For instance, his strict disciplinary actions are originated from insecurities or his fear of anarchy. But my colleagues did not attempt to gain confidence of their leader and to make him understand his role as a leader. Instead, they simply accepted commands and responded according the same. So, one can see that there was no collective responsibility and the whole power was vested upon the leader. This reduced morale of the teachers and forced them to be idle and careless. But none was ready to discuss this issue with the department head and they left their office. This is not the proper way to deal with such issues. In a school/college/university environment, involvement of other colleagues in supporting teaching-learning process is utmost important. Carducci (2009, p.154) opines that attraction towards superiority motivate achievement but there exist high possibility for its transformation to superiority complex, which is worse. The team leader (say, department head) must work as a team member to gain confidence of his colleagues. But the department head’s arrogant attitude was not helpful to solve the issue. 3. Learning Points In a school/college/University environment, an employee or a learner must be allowed to feel safe and valued. If not, the learning outcome/performance will not be the same to that of a safe and valued environment. So, every teaching staff or department head must realise this fact and must allow learner/teacher to feel safe and valued. From a different angle of view, the ultimate aim of education is to lead the learner towards knowledge and independent decision making. But in this issue, the department head does not allow his co-workers to take independent decisions. Instead, he used to force them to obey his rules and regulations. Besides, he believed that discipline and obedience is most important. This was helpful to maintain discipline, but the process of teaching-learning become mechanical and monotonous. Ur (1984, p.29) opines that instant feedback on performance is helpful to increase learning value of exercises on listening. From the perspective of a teacher, it is important to allow the learner to be independent. When the teacher gives more importance to discipline than acquiring knowledge, the whole process of education become deviated from its ultimate aim. Dyer and Luce (1996, p.8) in their work opines that an individual teacher who teach communication skills must show interest to evaluate student preference because it helps them to be active participants in learning activities without hesitation. So, it is important to empower the individual learner which will lead him /her towards self discipline and smooth learning. Effective planning from the side of teaching staff without internal/external influence will be helpful for the learner to achieve learning objectives. For instance, when an individual teacher is allowed to design effective learning sequences within lessons, the teaching-learning process becomes livelier. At the same time, the teacher must be allowed to use appropriate range of teaching strategies and resources. Novak (2009, p.212) makes clear that administrators who show interest in empowering learners feel trapped in the existing educational system. When priority is given to discipline and obedience, the usefulness of teaching strategies and resources become futile. So, it is important to allow teachers and student community to be independent. Discipline must not be exerted from any external factor, but it must be an internal urge of a teacher/student to abide with rules and regulation of an institution. Case 3 1. Background- the Incident The case 3selected for Critical Incident Report is that of a D&T student and his negative influence upon his classmates and its consequences. I joined them as their teacher but their tutor pointed out that this particular student used to slip his classes. The tutor pointed out that this student has other two friends like him. All these students formed a gang in the class, sat together and their involvement and productivity was marginal. As a teacher, my responsibility is to guide them towards knowledge, not to ignore them. So I decided to discuss their approach on work ethics and productivity. I very well knew that discipline maintenance is the primary barrier to be confronted. I decided to make use of behaviour management techniques and strategies to control this particular student and his friends. Besides, developing their social, emotional and behavioural skills is also important. I tried to involve their tutor in this issue but he was not ready to cooperate with me because this boy was unable to achieve the tutor’s higher expectations. 2. The incident In the next class, I allowed these boys to sit together. As usual, I assigned a lesson task to the whole class. But these boys were involved in deep conversation. I motivated them by pointing out that completion of the task will help them to gain three points towards their GCSE. But they were not ready to complete the task. As a final attempt to gain their confidence, I pointed out that I will be with them to play cricket. This motivated them and the task was completed in no time. Reid (2007, p.15) opines that rewards in classroom environment must not be considered as a long-term strategy but must motivate students towards further development. After the class, I joined them and played cricket. The work relationship helped me to know more about their problem because they admitted that they lack focus in their studies. So one can see that proper communication and involvement as a team member to gain confidence helped me to identify the reason behind child neglect. I arranged purposeful and safe learning environment to these boys. Besides, teachers must respond to the individual needs of learners. Then he/she can gain their confidence. Later, my colleagues noticed that these boys used to sit and work well together. This helped me to realize that teachers can play a vital role in promoting children and young people’s development and well-being. 3. Tutors reflections This incident helped me to solve the issue and to gain confidence of my students and respect of my colleague. Now I realise that it is important to plan motivation classes. But case 2 (case of department head) helped me to understand that strict discipline will not help me to solve this problem. If I asked those students to sit separate, the problem will not be solved yet. Instead, I allowed them to sit together, diagnosed their needs, joined them as the member of their team, motivated them, and extended the learning process out of school-context. This helped me to have an indirect control upon my students because I was their leader. In the work by Juvonen and Wentzel (1996, p.11), Susan Harter opines that the teacher’s role in the classroom in not limited to the sphere of academic performance, but extends to the sphere of motivation. So, proper planning helped me to overcome this issue without much difficulty. 4. Learning points In this incident, my involvement was non-confrontational manner which helped to have positive outcome. If I tried to follow my colleague, i.e. direct confrontation with the students, the outcome may be negative and my own classroom management would have been a barrier to my students’ learning. Tauber (2007, p.11) states that teacher’s success relies much upon one’s skill to manage all types of students in the classroom environment. Besides, my attempt to meet my students after the classes helped me a lot to form an unbreakable relationship and cohesion with them. Some students consider their classroom as an extension of their social context. So the individual teacher must be conscious to extend his/her teaching process out of school-context. When the teacher is ready to view an issue/incident apart from his/her view point, the scope of conflict resolution in and outside the classroom context become wider. When the teacher is ready to seek help from his/her colleagues, carers, parents, and learners, finding a solution becomes easier. Considering different opinions in a particular issue positively influence the process of decision making. If one try to follow one’s own idea, the scope of easier ways for resolving an issue become veiled forever. The active role of an individual teacher in teaching –learning process can lead the learners towards high performance and to meet their educational needs. The creative and constructive critical approach towards innovative methods in classroom instruction helps the teacher to be competitive. This helps the teacher to review his/her teaching effectiveness and its effect on the learner’s performance. Moreover, these sorts of cases help the teacher to adopt innovative disciplinary actions/ behaviour management techniques and strategies in future. Conclusion Summing, case 1 proves that pedagogical knowledge on behavioral management is most important for an NQT to deal with SEN learners. In addition, effective planning and assessment is helpful to achieve learning objectives and to implement one’s Professional knowledge. The case 2 proves the importance of discipline and how it badly affects mutual understanding and cohesion within a group. The case 3 proves the effectiveness of non-confrontational involvement of the teacher, purposeful and safe learning environment in classroom environment. So, these case studies and critical evaluation on the same prove that Induction Standards on teaching pedagogy is significant for an NQT to acquire teaching and learning skills. Besides, the scope of newly acquired knowledge/skills is not limited to the classroom environment but it extends to one’s personal life in future. References Butt, G., 2006. Lesson planning. Great Britain: Continuum International Publishing Group. Carducci, B. J., 2009. The Psychology of Personality: Viewpoints, Research, and Applications. 2nd ed. The United States of America: Wiley-Blackwell. Dyer, K. & Luce, S. C., 1996. Teaching practical communication skills. The United States of America: AAMR. Fraser, B.J., 1986. Classroom environment. Great Britain: Routledge. Juvonen, J. & Wentzel, K. R., 1996. Social motivation: understanding childrens school adjustment. 2nd ed. The United States of America: Cambridge University Press. Novak, J.D., 2009. Learning, creating and using knowledge. The United States of America: Routledge. Rogers, B., 2000. Behaviour management: a whole-school approach. Great Britain: SAGE. Ur, P., 1984. Teaching listening comprehension. The United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press. Reid, G., 2007. Motivating Learners in the Classroom: Ideas and Strategies. Great Britain: SAGE. Tauber, R. T., 2007. Classroom management: sound theory and effective practice. 4th ed. The United States of America: Greenwood Publishing Group. Read More