Proposal on a Leadership - Essay Example

Problem: How can the Heronwood High School teachers engage the in constructive, motivated, and cooperative learning relevant to the Heronwood community? The town of Heronwood has been a slow-developing town in dire need of progress. From the literature, the citizens have settled for a mediocre standard of life, with the more ambitious ones leaving town to pursue more improved lives. This mediocrity has affected the motivation of students at Heronwood High School. They have exhibited complacency and lack of drive in becoming more than what they could possibly be, perhaps thinking they will not amount to anything better than their parents who serve as their role models. It would be presumptious to expect a complete turnaround of attitude and community culture with a school-initiated project that involved community participation. However, an attempt to whet the students’ motivation to do something that interests them, and encourages socialization with the community in a project that would be beneficial to all may be considered a first step. This proposal shall come up with a suggested school activity that will not only serve the community but direct students into introspection of what they want to do with their lives after high school. With a constructivist philosophy, students will come up with their own ideas in implementing pilot activities with the Heronwood community and evaluate its feasibility. Student action shall of course be under the guidance and support of the Heronwood teachers. Beliefs and Theoretical Framework In the Heronwood case study, Principal Ingram was concerned about his observations that the students were not “turned on by their learning”, hence, efforts were made to have teachers trained in more innovative teaching strategies. This infusion of novel ideas were at first celebrated and even appreciated by the whole school, however, the prevailing community culture of mediocrity and resistance to change pulled the student’s enthusiasm downwards, likewise contaminating them with complacency and settlement for conditions they have been accustomed to for many years. What is proposed is a more dynamic approach in learning that is meaningful and relevant to the students’ lives. Being at an age where plans for the future must be charted, the students’ perspectives for a fulfilling career are usually influenced by their interests and experiences. Hence, teachers must be knowledgeable in balancing teacher-directed learning and student-centred learning. A constructivist philosophy in the teaching-learning process is proposed. Constructivist theory is gaining more attention, recognition and acceptance in many educational institutions. It premises on the belief that learners “construct” their own learning, and in effect, have better retention of it. “In the Constructivist theory the emphasis is placed on the learner or the student rather than the teacher or the instructor.  It is the learner who interacts with objects and events and thereby gains an understanding of the features held by such objects or events.  The learner, therefore, constructs his/her own conceptualizations and solutions to problems.  Learner autonomy and initiative is accepted and encouraged.” (Van Ryneveld, n.d., n.p.). Encouraging students to come up with their own ideas may be in the ambit of the teachers within the school premises. However, a bigger problem may lie outside school, specifically when the students go back to the Heronwood community. The school, then, in envisioning success for such learner-centred learning must engage the community, most specifically the students’ parents and family members in supporting the students’ activities. Teachers must inculcate in the parents the significance of their cooperation and support if they indeed want their children to reach for bigger dreams and empower them with the idea that they are capable of it. Needs Identification and Background The bleak introduction of the case study described the town of Heronwood to be one of almost impoverished citizens, considering the high unemployment rate. Two-thirds of those employed were in the wholesale- retail trade, manufacturing and community services. Professional work was very limited because most of the citizens did not pursue post-school education. Families were subsisting on very low incomes. Such lack of income was usually a source of tension in families. Many families were breaking apart. Much of the emotional burden fell on the children, who become very affected, and this manifests in their schooling. Although Ingram was able to spark and keep burning majority of the teachers’ enthusiasm to grow and learn more about the teaching-learning process, he was not as successful with the students. He became good friends with them, and boosted their confidence in him, because he tried to understand their circumstances in the home front. Ingram reasoned that he wanted the school to be a safe and happy place for the students since they mostly come from homes which were dysfunctional. However, teachers felt the children lacked discipline. This was worsened by the fact that bullying reached fever pitch with the arrival of street children in the school. The students’ bleak vision of a future at Heronwood did not include a promising career. The teachers’ eagerness to teach them with the updated strategies they have learned did not rub off on them. One of the teachers, Alison Gavin, analyzing why student motivation and discipline is very difficult to achieve in spite of the teachers’ dedicated efforts at improving the curriculum thinks when implemented, thinks the new curriculum needs to deal less with content and “more to do with teaching kids how to think, to build logical thought.” The proposed new 5-strand curriculum that includes Math, Literacy, Information Technology, Critical Thinking and Social Skills was developed after long deliberation and study by the Planning committee led by Muscat, the Vice Principal and Mirna, a prominent curriculum expert commissioned by Ingram. The competencies acquired with this curriculum are hoped to equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary in pursuing the future careers they may be interested in. Current Trends Mulford (2004) reports that “what counts for effective education should be broadened beyond academic achievement, to include for example, self-confidence. Although academic self-confidence was not linked to academic achievement, it does not follow that academic confidence is not an important student outcome” (p. 3). He goes on to say that pupil self-confidence has been found to be related to later life successes such as employment and income. Being aware that the students’ self-esteem and confidence may have been affected by their life circumstances, teachers at Heronwood must take into account that for the new curriculum to work, the students’ confidence in their own capabilities must first be established. Hence, gleaning wisdom from Constructivist philosophy, the teachers at Heronwood must be ready to embrace the belief and attitude that sharing the teaching-learning authority with the students may help empower them to learn better and eventually develop their self-esteem and confidence. Constructivist education was pioneered by Jean Piaget and Lee Vygotsky, giants in the Psychology and Education fields. “Piaget believed that children create knowledge through interactions with the environment. Children are not passive receivers of knowledge; rather, they actively work at organizing their experience into more and more complex mental structures.” (Brewer, 2001, p.6). He insists that children need to use all their cognitive functions. These theories were designed to form minds which can be critical, can verify, and not accept everything they are offered. Such beliefs reflect his respect for children’s thinking. Vygotsky (1978) believed that children’s intellectual development is influenced more by social context than by individual experiences. His theory places a great deal of emphasis on effective social interaction. Interactions are likely to go through a process called intersubjectivity. This is when two people are engaged in a task and begin from different understandings but with interaction, comes to an agreed, shared understanding. This is usually manifested when students initially debate opposite arguments but upon more understanding of the concept because of listening to each other’s opinions, will both end up seeing the concept in one direction. Vygotsky came up with the concept of the zone of proximal development (ZPD). He defined the ZPD as the distance between a child’s independent problem-solving level and that obtained under adult guidance or in collaboration with more capable peers (Wertsch, 1985). Wells (1997) cautioned us, however, that a ZPD is formed not just within an individual learner, but in the interaction between the learner, co-participants, and available tools during involvement in a common activity. ZPDs, therefore, depend on the quality of the total interactive context as well as individual learner capabilities. (Bonk & Cunningham, 1998). Taken together, both Piaget’s and Vygotsky’s theories are known as Constructivist Teaching Practices and Principles where Piaget’s emphasize Cognitive constructivism and Vygotsky’s emphasize Social Constructivism. David Wescombe-Down, an educator, wrote “If we take the constructivist classroom route, we make harder work for ourselves compared to the easier transmission model route. Our students are required to provide rigorous intellectual commitment and perseverance, and teachers must continually connect student’s previous and current knowledge to the emerging curriculum. The relevance of curriculum to student interests therefore cannot be planned, because the learners’ interests and experience cannot be assumed nor completely evaluated in advance.” This gives the students more power in the acquisition of learning. Using prior knowledge, they are encouraged to invent their own solutions and try out their own ideas and hypotheses with the able support of their teachers. This way, they can indulge in concrete experiences that focus on their interests. The students at Heronwood would definitely benefit from such principles because it encourages them to draw upon their learning from the 5 strand curriculum, and engage in cooperative learning with others. Being successful in constructing their own learning and be successful at it is hoped to implant motivation for the students to strive for something more that they can do with their lives as Heronwood citizens. Thus, implementing a learner-centred community project following the Constructivist principles is recommended. Recommendation The problem of student discipline and low cooperation may be viewed as stemming from their own frustration at the current state of their town, and its inability to provide opportunities for growth. Taking on a role as a member of the Heronwood High School faculty, I would propose the following steps in attempting to engage the students in constructive, motivated, and cooperative learning relevant to the Heronwood community? Conduct an aptitude test or a survey that would bring out the interests of the students that can give clues on what career path they can take. Group students according to their common interests and abilities and let them brainstorm on a community building project that would reflect a possible career or job that would be relevant to the community of Heronwood. This is where the Constructivist principles will implemented, as the students dwell in their cognitive and social abilities as they thoroughly plan their own project with others. Examples of community building projects are engaging in a small business such as a Human Services Resource that markets usual services needed such as babysitting, gardening and landscaping, tutoring, etc. Students may be delegated to run the business and field possible workers. Those with IT inclinations may go into desktop publishing, website or blogsite construction, etc. Others with more domestic skills may get into the food business and open up a small coffee shop. To attract a market, rates should be competitive and service should be of top quality. The idea is to plan, execute and sustain the project for at least a week, in coordination with the local government of Heronwood. Guidelines must be presented to lead the students in the rules and behavioural expectations in the project. Students may given specifications such as time, space and budget constraints and provided the necessary funds and space for their intended project. Such funds will be solicited from the local government, since eventually, it is the town which will benefit from this project. Teachers will be there to guide them every step of the way, however, the main ideas should originate from the students themselves. It is important that the students be oriented with all aspects of the business and the culture and market they have to deal with. Teachers must encourage the students’ engagement in brainstorming for all possibilities. Before the project commences, the Heronwood faculty, led by its principal in cooperation with the local town officials, will call on the parents and community members for a general assembly. There, they will discuss the importance of such a project to inject the direly needed motivation in the youth to do their share in community building. These adults are asked to provide their support and cooperation in the small business ideas that would be put up by the students and patronize it. They must also be made aware of the positive effects of such community support on the students’ development of their ambitions, and the likely possibility that such dreams may indeed be achievable in Heronwood. The student projects in community building must be celebrated accordingly so the students are more enthusiastic that the whole of Heronwood awaits their possible contributions in waking up their sleepy town. With its success, the teachers may now draw upon the students’ sense of fulfilment to further motivate them in their current learning experiences. Now, it is hoped that the students may look forward to concretizing all their goals. Evaluation and Limitations Community fairs have always been an attraction for many. Usually, it is something townspeople look forward to. This community building project to be spearheaded by the students of Heronwood is an attempt to create opportunities for them since they will be expected to “construct” their own learning and to test it out in the real world. Likewise, being put in a situation where they need to cooperate with other people involved in the project or not, becomes an opportunity to build character. On top of that, this project is proposed for students to experience fun, camaraderie and a sense of fulfilment at being trusted to handle such a huge responsibility, and to prove their own accountability for it, whether it succeeds or fails. Handling teenagers is a very challenging endeavour. It has been proven in the Heronwood case study that student discipline was a problem of gargantuan magnitude for the teachers. To be able to manage it, one needs to dig deep beyond the surface and deeply probe into the causes of such a problem. This proposal is working on some assumptions based on the data provided in the case study. Bringing in Constructivist principles may work in motivating students’ learning and cooperation with others and might even empower them to chart their future career paths. However, the limitation here is the home environment. If the students’ families are not enthusiastic enough to second what the school is passionately advocating, then, chances for success are sorely diminished. Another consideration is the town’s interest in such a project. Having proven that mediocrity is the prevailing culture, the townspeople’s resistance to novelty and change may hinder the project’s success. The Heronwood faculty must come up with a highly convincing stand in order to win their favour and whet their interest so that support and cooperation may be expected from them. Internal conflicts may also prove to be “hiccups” in the implementation of the project. Teachers who are not very open- minded may not welcome the idea of passing on the reins to the students. Traditionalists may be stubborn in letting go of tried and tested teaching-learning strategies. Evaluation of the plan must be regular. First phase of evaluation must be upon the development of student groups and the submission of their proposal for a project. The next evaluation must be in the process of planning the details of the approved projects, and the final evaluation is upon completion of the project. Loosely described, factors to be evaluated are student learning and cooperation, feasibility of the project and future possibilities of the project. Such evaluations must be conducted by the Heronwood teachers and the students themselves. They are partners in every step. This is also one way where rapport is established, and respect for each other is developed. This proposal for a community building project to engage students in constructive, motivated, and cooperative learning relevant to the Heronwood community is admittedly an ambitious one to undertake. However, upon considering the various factors discussed herein, it is definitely worth a try if one is to after the resurrection of student motivation and community spirit. References Bonk, C.J. & Cunningham, D.J. (1998) “Searching for Learner-Centered, Constructivist, and Sociocultural Components of Collaborative Educational Learning Tools” in Electronic Collaborators. Retrieved on April 15, 2007 from: www.publicationshare.com/docs/Bon02.pdf Brewer, J.A. (2001) Introduction to Early Childhood Education. Boston: Allyn and Bacon Van Ryneveld, L., (n.d.) What is constructivism?, Retrieved on March 10, 2007 from http://hagar.up.ac.za/catts/learner/lindavr/lindapg1.htm Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Wells, G. (1997). “The zone of proximal development and its implications for learning and teaching.” Retrieved on April 15, 2007 from http://www.iose.utoronto.ca/~gwells/zpd.discussion.txt Wertsch, J. V. (1985). Vygotsky and the social formation of the mind. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Wescombe-Down, D. (n.d.), Constructivism, mainstream teaching and scientific knowledge from the classroom perspective. Retrieved on March 10, 2007 from http://www.unisanet.unisa.edu.au/11788/science1/constructivism/MSMSASTA05.doc Read More