The Ideal Classroom and School - Research Paper Example

The Ideal Classroom And School Table of Contents The Ideal Classroom And School 1 Table of Contents 1 Introduction 2 Literature scope 2 The role of education and educators 4 The role of technology 7 Basic requirements 9 Ideal classrooms in existence? 11 The need for flexibility and reflection-in-action 13 Conclusion 15 References 16 Word count: 3,168 Introduction Education in a simple utilitarian sense is about equipping the next generation for the demands of adult life, serving the interests of a nation as much as for the individual. This is a common view, particularly for new teachers who conceive their role in terms of keeping order and presenting information (Ellis, 2004). However, there are also additional functions such as ‘keeper of the runes’ or identifier of special educational needs (Moon et al., 2002). To indulge in etymology, there is more to ‘educere’ than imparting wisdom; the word implies that something is drawn out from within. This essay describes the role of education and how it can be assisted by the ideal classroom and school, ultimately concluding that such concepts are tied to present culture and needs and so should remain flexible. Ultimately, the construction of any ideal is dependent upon perspective and the ability to meet the needs of one's learners. It is therefore imperative that ideals are not copied from one place to another, but that each educator seeks their own answers. Literature scope Many of the more pragmatic suggestions for creating an ideal classroom in research literature related to secondary education, but interestingly the two projects currently attempting to construct an ideal classroom are focussing on the primary age range. With the practicalities of constructing an ideal classroom at an early stage in academic literature, a more philosophical approach is taken in this essay. From this perspective, practical ideas are discussed in terms of why they are thought to be ideal. As the notion of an ideal classroom is as much theoretical as a practical concern, I do not judge the existing literature to be lacking as empirical research into an ideal classroom would be heavily dependent upon its culture and context, arguably suffering from a lack of generalisability from its very nature. The role of education and educators The broader role of education discussed by Wragg in Moon et al. (2002) includes flexibility, that the aim is simply to meet students’ needs. While this slightly dodges a question by posing another question (e.g. who determines and limits the needs), the intent suggests that the concept of ‘ideal’ has to be a fluid one. An ideal classroom now may not be one in 20 years, nor is the ideal classroom for a London school necessarily ideal for a similar school in Hull. The concept of an ideal classroom and school may be culture-bound as much as it is resource-driven, so it is necessary to strictly define for what purpose the classroom is ‘ideal'. As with Moon et al. (ibid), this poses the question “ideal for what?” To argue that education has changed so little over millennia suggests the comparison to another field where little has changed, namely philosophy. Philosophy has value to society for its questions rather than its answers, and I would argue that education is very much the same. It is so much a part of our human and social condition that each generation must ask itself the same questions even if the answers are only temporary. If philosophy is the question of who we are, education represents who we want to be. In the thousands of years of human education, classrooms and schools are a relatively recent innovation. They arguably account for a small proportion of what is learned through a lifetime, for example, Moon argues that the challenge for formal teaching is how to transpose the extraordinary human capacity for learning, particularly in the young, to those artificial worlds we have created in schools and classrooms. (Moon et al., 2002 p.3) McIntyre illustrates this point by stressing that the “concept of teaching has no implications for where or by whom teaching is done” (McIntyre, 2000. In: Moon et al., 2002 p.124), referring to the capacity for children to educate themselves and each other. In this context, an ideal classroom is one that enables this process to occur efficiently. In terms of answering the ‘who we want to be' element of education, classrooms also represent the point of delivery. They are where the new generation gathers to judge the wisdom of the previous generations, to decide whether to accept or rebel against it. Classrooms and schools should, therefore, provide stimulation through resources, but also provide a sense of security and safety. They should be places in which real debate can be stimulated. In 1975, the then Department for Education and Skills intended for teachers to “increase the complexity of the child’s thinking” (Bullock, 1975). This is the role I envisage they play in my ideal school, that they provide the tools for analysis and deeper thinking. I will return to this point later when discussing the role of technology, that the vastness of resources in an ideal classroom could become problematic without a competent gatekeeper and referee. In the classroom constructed to my ideals, children would be encouraged not only to work co-operatively but collaboratively. This would require extra considerations, such as providing an atmosphere low on competitiveness. To facilitate this, the ideal classroom would have a way of rewarding those achieving individual goals and also those who assisted others in reaching theirs. This is not necessarily as idealistic as it might sound, it has long been argued that the UK no longer requires an education system which produces an elite but one which provides a knowledgeable and co-operative mass (Dore, 1976). As a way of helping this culture develop, the ideal classroom should allow for seating to be easily rearranged to allow teamwork. There should also be clear space to display rewards for those achieving their own targets, or assisting others. In the ideal school, this process might even be given additional legitimacy through an award or certificate for collaborative learning. This provides one example of how an ideal classroom and school would function to aid motivation. This should ideally extend beyond simple behaviorism and provide a stimulating and enjoyable place in which to learn. A child observes that “Pavlov had to starve his dogs and Skinner his rats and pigeons to ensure they would learn” (Child, 1997 p.123), which raises the question of motivation. If children are given ideal comfort levels and praise in the everyday classroom, one relies upon intrinsic motivation for their efforts. Ideal classrooms and schools might not, therefore, be ideal all the time. The school canteen would not always serve a feast, children would not always get to use the toy they wanted, not everyone would get a turn at using the interactive whiteboard. Just as Pavlov's dogs would have ignored his bell if they were stuffed full of steak, perhaps the hunger for something extra is a necessary human drive and ‘ideal' has to strike a balance between what students would want and what they would need. The needs of an ideal classroom and school might render the terms further paradoxical. If classrooms and schools are to prepare students for adult life, there has to be some replication of it. Moon et al. (2002) writes of teachers necessarily occupying a ‘jailor' role. They may, for example, have to force compliance with rules for the sake of compliance. While teachers must strive to be fair, Moon et al. acknowledge that they are to prepare students for a world which is not fair. Educating students in an ideal setting may not satisfy the need to prepare them for adult life. Accommodating all of Maslow’s hierarchy (Maslow, 1943) may be technically impossible in the context of a school in which one of the purposes is to prepare students for a world where these needs will not be met. The role of technology Rousseau argues that “man’s first reason is a reason of the senses; this sensual reason serves as the basis of intellectual reason” (Curren, 2007 p.390) and so books cannot fully substitute for firsthand experience. However, they can teach us to "use the reason of others" (ibid). This, in the ideal classroom, illustrates the tensions in modern education. Where there is so much to be learned, one must decide which learning can be delivered to students through experience and which must be taken as belief (to use Rousseau's terms). This raises the issue of providing experiences in the ideal classroom. Obviously, there is an obligation of safety, so even if the ideal school had the budget to offer direct experiences to students it may not be ideal to do so. Most students will observe magnesium burning in water during their secondary education. What is interesting in Rousseau's work is whether observation counts as experience, do students ‘know' the magnesium burns from watching it or are they still ‘believing'? This is extrapolated through modern technology, as videos can show many experiments in a more efficient manner. In the ideal classroom, technology would be used to bring in those experiences it is unwise to have directly in the classroom. At the primary stage, I would argue that it is more important for students to experience phenomena than to believe it based on reason. To take an example of an existing resource, boiling water in a classroom is an obvious risk. However, the interactive whiteboard alternative (BBC, n.d.) provides 100% accurate results in accelerated time using an animation. It is compelling, but it is simply a representation of what students would find in a book. It is a more convincing belief, but it is not ‘knowing’ in Rousseau’s terms. The ideal classroom would find a way to offer these experiences directly, or would use a video of the experiment rather than an animation so that the experience is more realistic, even if entertainment value is sacrificed. The IWB is praised for its efficiency, that while similar effects could be achieved using other means, the IWB was “easier, more efficient, and had greater impact and better pace (Gray et al., 2005 p.41). By tracking what they called “discourse moves” in a long-term observational study and analysing whole-class quantitative data, Gray et al. discovered a statistically significant reduction in interruptions from pupils accompanied by an increase in pupils answering questions (ibid, table 3). Interactive whiteboards may also, therefore, provide improved focus of delivery as well as efficiency. As part of my ideal classroom, they help to reduce wasted learning time and also help the teacher to articulate the lesson content so that fewer students are left confused and more students can be engaged in activities. However, interactive whiteboards are still in their infancy. One need only look to the development of computer games to see how quickly technology is increasing options of interactivity. My ideal school would be sufficiently funded to meet these new innovations, allowing the ideal classroom to evolve with the very latest offerings in a rich learning experience. It is also important that the human element of the school is correctly orientated, that professionals will guard against being wowed by the wizardry of technology and help make informed decisions about what is allowed into the classroom. Time will always be a premium, even in ideal situations, and so it is important that novelty is balanced against wisdom. Basic requirements In addition to special facilities assisting culture development and technological literacy, any ideal classroom and school has to satisfy more basic needs. These are less open to criticism or deviation as, at least within western culture, they have a status of virtual rights for children. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs (Maslow, 1943) is still the most influential work in this area, although adherence to its principles is far from widespread. To take an example from my own education, drinks were not allowed in any classroom and toilet breaks were not allowed until breaks. Despite being only a short time ago, such rules would seem heavy handed in the context of current student needs – that there is a basic right to such things as water that should always be permitted unless there is a compelling reason not to (e.g. in science labs for safety reasons). Basic physiological needs can vary by preference, so some degree of flexibility is essential in the ideal school. The old adage that school heating systems are either on (winter) or off (summer) would not apply in the ideal school as individuals would be given greater personal control over their own comfort levels. The need to feel safe is described by Maslow as an important deficiency need, noting that it is even more important to children. While technology can aid security, such as through fingerprint identification or coded door locks, the psychological impression of safety is also important and can rely on more obvious reassurances such as fences and walls. The ideal school combines practical safety measures with symbolic reassurances, but must also be careful not to appear intimidating. Schools also help to satisfy the need for belonging, that students feel part of the school and contribute to it. Display space should therefore be used for examples of the best work of each student rather than being a selection based on aesthetics. The symbols of belonging should also be open to negotiation in the ideal school, for example through granting students an element of choice in their school uniform. A school adopting ‘hoodies’ as part of its uniform reported improved relationships between students and staff (BBC, 2005) – a simple yet previously unheeded management idea that a vision is more likely to be shared if subordinates have input (Kotter, 1996). Ideal classrooms in existence? An interesting project in China by Disney may be seeking to answer the largely philosophical question of what an ideal classroom should have (Areddy and Sanders, 2009). With virtually unlimited resources, Disney have built a chain of schools in China where ‘magic’ is part of the standard classroom furniture. On a smaller scale, the Mr Roesti project in Thailand (Chuna, n.d.) is attempting to determine how much of an ideal learning environment can be delivered through an interactive whiteboard. These examples show, from different perspectives, how much the notion of ideal is tied to a specific culture. As both projects retain a need for a ‘live’ teacher, my argument that flexibility is one of the constants of an ideal classroom appears to be shared. Despite the vast resources of the Disney brand, the actual learning is still facilitated by a mentor. These projects both raise questions about the shifting role of teachers, that the ideal classroom can better deliver many of the functions of a teacher than a live person. Teachers as lead learners may become a more accepted role than teachers as repositories of knowledge. The vast range of resources that are becoming available mean that many more learning styles can now be accommodated within the humble classroom, that a world of experiences can be beamed onto the walls. The actual process of learning may have changed little, but the efficiency with which the learning is experienced promises to continually improve. Both of these projects show similarities in how they have constructed the ideal classroom as they use interactive whiteboards to project animated multi-media content. Children interact directly with animated characters and through a live teacher. Classroom furniture is arranged to allow group work. Resources are prepared on an industrial scale to improve efficiency, for example through student workbooks directly linked to the interactive material. Within a broader context, I would argue that these ideal classrooms are not ideal for the range of learning opportunities desirable in the UK. For example, the idea that knowledge should be sought from multiple sources is one that I still value and I believe there may be a risk in students taking knowledge only through a Disney filter. The need for flexibility and reflection-in-action Many of the elements of an ideal school and classroom described here are of a pre-determined nature. They are inputs which enable a process. However, issues of a hidden curriculum (Seddon, 1983) can soon be problematic if one attempts to fix an ethos or school culture in place. To take a recent example, one of my students hypothesised that bullying could have a positive role for some people, his example being motivating obese students to live a healthier lifestyle. A range of hidden curriculum agendas become obvious. Does a teacher reinforce freedom of expression and liberalism, open the debate to grades of bullying or keep to the school line that all bullying is unacceptable? Should the view of the boy be silenced, destroyed with a critique, or opened to frank discussion? What about in the playground? And when does that debate, if it is allowed, become bullying of itself? If the teacher’s decision is affected by the presence of obese children in the classroom, then that suggests that some things are OK to discuss but not when they relate to someone in the room. I use this example to show how a hidden curriculum is a product of culture, that it is shaped by culture as much as it influences culture. Any teaching behaviour can therefore reflect a hidden curriculum, and close examination of any specific behaviour can display variously conflicting hidden ideals. A teacher who acts according to sound principles, but remains flexible and judicious in their application, is therefore an integral part of the ideal classroom. Being able to react to the questions of pupils will invigorate lessons and is necessary to build critical thinking skills. The problem of defining an ideal classroom or school is that one must often make concessions to adopt every moral perspective. Perhaps the ideal classroom should be carbon neutral, be converted at night into accommodation for the homeless, be constructed from fair-trade materials, etc. To borrow the phrase that a camel is a horse designed by a committee, so too might the ideal school have some surprising bumps in its hidden curriculum if ever it was built. Any ideal school might not be possible through pre-planning, it may have to evolve to meet changing needs and cannot be airdropped into place. Conclusion As shown in the description of the Disney and Mr Roesti projects, technology is advancing at such a pace that serious attention is now being paid to developing an ideal classroom. In practical terms, this question is being answered and resources are being developed to meet the needs of an ideal classroom. However, it is still important for each educator to make that decision for themselves. Surroundings in a school and classroom can have a wide range of subtle influences and many cultural expectations can be transmitted through seemingly innocuous means. The issue of a hidden curriculum highlights how problematic ideals can be, and how an intellectual ideal might not generate the desired results in its execution. Using an ideal constructed for someone else will always require adaptation to meet the needs of one’s learners. In spite of the rise of technology and resources, it may paradoxically be the teacher who remains the most important constant as their role adapts from a hunter-gatherer of information to a guardian at the gate, determining whose brand of ideal is allowed through the classroom door. References Read More