Values, Morals, and Beliefs in Classroom - Essay Example

In my perception, in the realm of teaching and learning, values, morals and beliefs which change so slowly, are changing today like clouds before the wind. Educational customs and institutions older than human memory melt under our eyes as if they were superficial habit, recently acquired and easily forgotten (Adams, Henry1919). Chivalry, which agreed with Nietzsche that “one cannot be too gentle with teacher,” and gallantry, which graced the gravitation of bodies with the courtesies of the mind, has not survived the emancipation of student; schools have accepted the challenge of equality (Bradley, F.H1920), and find it hard to worship a value which so unwarrantable flatters them with imitation. Respect and kindness, which lured the educators to heroic educational enterprise, giving to every power and double power, have fallen in to low repute, and young students woo their teachers with charms so generously shown that curiosity no longer lends its aid to mere educational learning. The above discourse may be a bit hard to digest but in easy terms of philosophy Learning may be defined as the development and modification of the tendencies that govern the psychological functions. Such learning may be studied from several points of view _the basic nature of the learning process, retention and forgetting, the limits of learning, the role of practice in learning, the importance of various kinds of motives, and the application of learned techniques or materials. Here I reflect on and write a personal statement of philosophy about teaching and learning. This personal statement has been written to represent a deep reflection about my own values, morals and beliefs and how this would impact on what I would do in the classroom, acting as a guide for making decisions related to classroom planning, teaching and assessing. Philosophically speaking the main objectives of learning and teaching in the formal setting of class are to building the moral values in the students. This being the prime objective is the leading factor of learning and teaching in a formal school setting. Formulation of fine character of students is another most important objective of teaching-learning with all its moral manifestations. To meet the economic and job requirements of students is the yet another prime objective of education through the way of teaching-learning. Understanding and conquering the nature as an objective cannot be under estimated in the setting of formal teaching-learning. However, meeting with the requirements of curriculum, can also not be under estimated as curriculum is the most important part of a formal teaching-learning process. In addition meeting with the all procedures methods and processes of teaching and learning, the objective of teaching-learning cannot be achieved without adopting these proper methods. Further to this, properly meeting with the tendencies of the students in education, the aptitudes of the students should also be kept in view while, looking at the objectives of formal teaching-learning. Moreover, gradation and classification of students, can never be ignored while, meeting with the objectives of formal teaching-learning. Yet, treating the students according to the mental capacities of students is the best ethic to be kept in view for successful achievement of the objectives of teaching-learning. Besides above, teaching the students in the perspective of previous experiences of students and teachers is the best course of action to get the desired results of formal teaching-learning. Linkage of learning with the practical actions is another possible and best course of action for achieving the desired results. Lastly making the lessons for the students as easy as possible, can never is over-sighted if the ethical objectives and values of teaching-learning are to be achieved. This fact can not be overlooked that preparation of lessons should always be done in the best possible manner by the teachers and students must remain as much attentive as possible in order to get the best results. Above all, relationship of students with the teachers is the primary and prime moral value in order to get the desired results. Values, morals and believes for the teaching Now I would like to spell out in full detail the entire moral ethics, values and believes for teaching in the formal school setting so that, the further decisions on the planning and curriculum preparation should ensue from them. Teaching in an affectionate, moral and equitable manner is the basic and first and foremost value based on morality for the teaching so that the above mentioned objectives can be achieved. This must be coupled with balancing the theory and action, that can ensure the best results for the teachers in a formal school teaching set up. Because, theory is supposed to be action oriented and contradiction in theory and practice is always counter-productive for the achievement of the objectives of good teaching. Moreover making conversation with the students according to their abilities and standards ensures the best delivery of results for the students by the teachers. This ethic is very necessary in order to bring all the students at par with each other and helps in avoidance of discrimination. Moreover, teacher should not remain at the mercy of the flattery of students; the students should be kept at a convenient distance from the teachers so that the teachers should not be prone to the flattery like incidences from the students. And teacher should always remain kind attentive and advisable to the students, kindness, attentiveness and advisability on part of teachers as a moral ethic always helps the students in building confidence and courage and a positive energy in them. Besides, teacher should restrain himself and keep his students away from indulging into immoral actions, because I have felt during my classes that immorality always distracts both the students and teachers from the normal course of education in formal teaching settings in schools. Further more, this is desirable that physical punishment of students should be avoided as much as possible. It has now been proved that physical punishment of students proves counter-productive and looses confidence in them. Therefore, it is advisable that corporal punishments must be avoided by the teachers as far as possible. Values, morals and believes for learning After discussing moral values, ethics and standards for teaching, I hereby jot down in detail the ethics and values for learning. Students must obey their teachers while learning their lessons, because this is the only way possible for soliciting co-operation, kindness and attention of teachers in a sustainable manner. Failing which the student teacher relation remains jeopardized. Moreover, students should remain away from bad and immoral things, this is the pre-requisite of a formal learning process, otherwise mostly the distraction from the studies and drop outs from the schools occur so often in many situations which can seldom be then avoided (Dunlap1949). Additionally, while learning the lessons the students should try to learn every thing but should concentrate more on one subject, this is extremely important because knowledge is available everywhere outside the arena of the books also. In this connection TV, Internet, Newspapers, Libraries etc must also be benefited from (David Lewinsky 2003). Moreover, students while learning one subject should not enter into another subject. This is very important because of the reason that concentration on one subject helps the students in specializing a particular subject and consistency in learning can only be achieved in this manner. More importantly learning should be a gradual and steady process. Because of this extremely important value the knowledge can be achieved in a dependable, sustainable and reliable manner. This value ensures the definite outcomes of learning process in a formal school setting. In addition, while learning the student must remain respectful and kind to his teachers and other students. Above all, kindness and respect to the teachers and co-operative attitude towards other students and peer groups always creates and generates more co-operation, love and fraternal environment in a formal learning style in schools (Carmichael1950). At last, students should make maximum advantage from teachers, library other students and peer groups. Since, time at the disposal of the students is always very limited, therefore it should be put to maximum use and the students, as a moral, ethical and logical value should not spare any moment to be wasted while remaining in schools and remaining outside the schools. I understand that learning takes place, when for a given task or situation the amount accomplished is increased, the time required for a definite increase is reduced, or the number of errors is reduced. Forgetting is indicated when the opposite happenings occur (Cantor. 1946). Learning is studied by means of problem boxes, mazes, discrimination apparatus, delayed reaction apparatus, conditioning apparatus, memory drums, pursuit meters, multiple-choice problems, and every day activities. Learning is greatly influenced by drive and motivation, repetition and practice, generalization and opportunity to transfer, and numerous rather specific factors such as meaning fullness of material, sense modality involved, and method used(Harold Christ 2001). The same factors influence retention of learned material. Many different theories and partial theories have been advanced to explain leaning phenomena. No one of them can account for all the phenomena and research findings. Each has value in inter-relating a body of fact and in creating hypotheses and postulates to be tested in future research. Among the more widely discussed theories are those generally credited to these psychologists: Thorndike, Guthrie, hull, skinner, wheeler, Levin, Kafka and Kohler, and Carr and Robinson (Adams, Henry1919). References; 1- Adams, Henry1919. The Education of Henry Adams. Boston. 2- Bradley, F.H1920, Appearance and Realty. London. 3- Cantor1946, Dynamics of learning Oxford University Press. 4- Carmichael1950, Manual of child psychology. Wellington Press, New Zealand. 5- Dunlap1949, Habits; Their Making and Unmaking. Amsterdam Foot Press. Holland. 6- David Lewinsky 2003; Class Rooms and teachers perceptions. New York ISBN 23467654 7- Harold Christ 2001: Learning as a moral scheme of students. Den Hague. ISBN 45678766 Read More