Upon reading an excerpt of Intrator & Kunzman's book, I was informed about how as future educators we need to establish a respecting environment in which educators are able to also learn from students on how to teach them individually. I very much agreed with the research the authors included in this article regarding the relationship between adolescent students and educators. Specifically with their suggestions of the relationships requiring to be "dialogical in nature" (30). I am sure many former high school students have came across the old school teacher that has an it's "my way or no way" approach to teaching, and this approach only cultivates resentment towards the teacher and the class.
Furthermore, in a three year study containing nine different schools with a total of twenty thousand students, the study's results concluded that students were "generally bored and disengaged in school" (31). This problem of disengagement could very much so be due to the lack of familiarity teachers have with "the new type of adolescents".
The authors brought up a point I thought was important; Another survey given to 300,000 students across the state came back with results such as only a mere 16% of students believed their voice was heard in classes. Within that same survey, students admitted to barely dedicating any time to studying outside of class or homework. On top of not devoting the needed amount of time to schoolwork, they were also not participating in extra curricular activities. This further proves my theory of dictator-style teaching creates a disconnect between the student and their school community. Having read this article and analyzing its research substance has led me to believe that the ability to listen and learn from students should essentially be embedded in our pedagogical skills in order to ensure student success.
Hey Linda,
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with your analysis of these research articles. It seems that perhaps the main theme across these readings is the importance of creating a learning environment that is conducive to the learning of all students, something that many schools and teachers often fail to do. In doing so, it is important for teachers to assess students' feelings about the class structure in a dialogical manner; ultimately, the students cannot be passive recipients of what the teacher is teaching the students. Kunzman's article (2009, p.34) mentions Dewey's research, which describes experience as a shared interaction between an individual and the environment around them, which relates to the classroom through the dialogical setup that all classrooms should adopt. This model facilitates student learning, and I know, personally, that I will do my best to create a classroom environment that reflects these values as a future teacher.
When reading the articles for this week and reading your thoughts on them, the importance for there to be a leveled field where there can be a discussion between teachers and students alike, where all voices are heard, reminds me of Paulo Freire's banking versus problem-posing theories of education in his "Pedagogy of the Oppressed." His banking theory of education is one in which does not allow for free-thinking among students and is therefore limiting, similar to that "dictator-style teaching" you mentioned. Freire's problem-posing theory involves a discussion between teachers and students and creates a learning environment. I think there's a connection between Intrator and Kunzman's article and Paulo Freire's book.
ReplyDeleteYour response to the article is definitely on point. I think that the authoritative style of teaching often approached by educators creates an environment in which learning can not effectively take place. I think the importance of why students are bored in school is necessary to addressing this issue because with boredom comes negative results for learning. Teachers must not only engage in a conversational relationship in the classroom but also work to better those conditions that further cause boredom in students.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with your ideas on how the "old school" teachers have this "traditional" teaching method where everything goes their way. They are not being open to criticism from the students which is ridiculous because although a teacher may think his or her teaching method yields results, the students may think and feel otherwise.
ReplyDeleteI think an interestung point worth mentioning from this text is how in the beginning, it talks about youth culture in the United States. To begin, the diversity of students in schools is much more apparent as opposed to the general population of the United States (30). That is a big problem for students because not having a teacher with the same ethnic/racial background can have a major impact on the school/classroom environment, since can result in poor academic performance and disengagement with the material being presented. I have attached an image from the Golden Apple website that better shows the demographics of Illinois teachers, Illinois students, and Golden Apple Scholars.
https://www.goldenapple.org/golden-apple-scholars
Education is an ever changing field, just like math and science. Teachers need to find ways to actively engage with these types of students, like you mentioned. One way should be basic technology. Students nowadays are no stranger to technology and can navigate much more easily than than their teachers. Since technology plays such a big part in adolescent lives, whether it be their smartphone, video games, television, laptop, or tablet, incorporating it is a no brainer. Now obviously, there should be a limit to it since adolescent students have the tendency to navigate the web when bored.
To add on to your comment on how teachers have this "dictator style" of teaching, I think it is interesting that you mention that because in the text it does mention how students evaluate teachers on the basis of how caring they percieve a teacher to be (39). This goes along with sudents having their voice heard because if a teacher cares, they will hear the voice of the students, hopefully thus causing the teacher to do what it takes to meet the needs of the students. With doing so, research also suggests that this improves student performance since there is now a classroom environment promoting belonging. Adolescents are still developing, growing, and changing, but some come from troubled home lives so perhaps they do not put their trust in their family members. To have a positive relationship with staff or faculty member in school helps so much because the student may not be as disengaged as before. That person can also be seen as a motivation factor, since he or she may want the best for that student, thus causing a boost in self esteem.
Overall, the people involved in these schools should try the best of their abilities to fit the needs of this diverse population of students. Adults should also try their best to fit this "parental" figure in student lives if needed.
I agree with your argument. The control of the classroom has always been in teacher's and administrator's hands. Very little to no input from students, especially adolescents, are solicited. The last point that you bring up in your post is about how little students believe that their voice is being heard in the classroom and that there is not a lot of time spent doing work outside of the classroom. Perhaps if teachers were to ask for input from students, instead of "dictator-style teaching" as you argue, then students will be more engaged with the material and be more willing to learn.
ReplyDeleteThis is a good point. I have heard of the strategy of allowing students to create their own "classroom norms." This takes away the dictator style you are discussing and holds students accountable for their actions
DeleteI agree with your understanding to the article, especially your argument that teachers’ subjective and autocratic teaching approach cultivates adolescents’ resentment. Teachers who do not really care about students, inflexible teaching, and disconnected curricula only receive students’ negative attitude and disengagement in the classroom. How can teachers engage each student in the classroom? I think it is not enough to just knowing their background and experiences, the more important is a real understanding which can have adolescents feel their teachers do care. Adolescents do have desire to express themselves in the classroom, they yearn to be listened, however, what roles are they forced to play in the classroom? They feel they are shaped into robots. Educators should think seriously about their relationship with adolescents today.
ReplyDeleteI like how this is the view, respecting environment, people are taking from the reading. I think its very important to grow a mutual respect between students and teachers. With out this, students could feel as if they are drifting away from the classroom, like their opinions do not matter. No child should feel that way. I also believe the “my way or no way” method is very outdated and a classroom should be focusing more toward a collaborative environment.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with your analysis of the texts. Buechner defines an adolescent as a person who“living in two worlds at once”(1993). As educators, indeed, it’s easy for us to understand teen’s world as adults, which lead to neglect that students are the ones who accept education. “Dialogical in nature” is vitally important, students' voices are more persuasive and convincing than educators' inferences and assumptions. Learning hinge on active engagement. Students yearn for classroom conversations and positive relationships with their teachers. From this point of view, our effort is to increase the breadth and depth of education research. Education reform should not only be carried out on the surface but also listen to students’ voice about what they think about the classroom setting in order to create an appropriate environment, reduce their sense of disengagement and eventually make strides in learning.
ReplyDeleteCommunication is always so important, especially in building relationships. I really appreciate you bring up the point which is "the ability to listen and learn from students should essentially be embedded in our pedagogical skills in order to ensure student success". Adolescents is a special group that has such big different than adults or elementary school ages. They have their own opinions but sometimes maybe couldn't thought maturity as adults, on the other hand, they don't like to be treated as a toddles but sometimes they are still sensitive. So, as educators, I believe that building a good relationship with them through communication is necessary.
ReplyDeleteHey Linda, I also quite agree with the research the authors included in this article regarding the relationship between adolescents and educators. During education, students are the center of the teaching process.The relationship between teachers and students can influence the results how teaching going on. Adolescents usually love to study with the teachers that they really like so the relationship is really significance.
ReplyDeleteIntrator and Kunzman also mention the difference between the intended and experienced curriculum. There is no way to bridge this divide unless student voice is actively sought. Although researchers have looked into this problem from time to time, very little of these questions are pondered upon within the classroom itself. I wonder if teachers are even clear about the intended outcomes of the planned curriculum besides the obvious outcomes of standardized testing and grades. If students garner good grades, are they in effect learning the intended curriculum or have they figured out how to navigate the system? Do we intend for these curricula to provide learning that can be used outside of the classroom? One would imagine that all teachers would answer in the affirmative or at least suggest that school is the gateway to college. Are these questions asked by classroom instructors and if yes then what are the ways in which, they can understand the experienced curriculum and deliver a classroom experience that enables students to have access to the intended curriculum (assuming that is an outcome to be desired).
ReplyDeleteThis is from Anthony Frigo. After reading the articles and your response I feel that the need for listening on both sides of the academic environment is essential to the success of the students and the teacher. It is important to make it so that everyone's educational needs are being met and that everyone has the ability to succeed. Listening to the students allows for a mutual respect to be built by both parties. Not listening or refusing to listen because of an ego or something similar grows resentment towards to profession and learning as a whole. Having a group of students that refuse to be engaged in the classroom because of an arrogant or power-tripping teacher is exactly the opposite of what we as educators want. There are many ways to get the students engaged, but it all starts with ourselves as teachers and how we present ourselves to the students.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with your point that the dictator-style teaching creates a disconnect between the students and the school community. It is true that traditional teachers in China, especially those in primary and secondary education, give students less opportunity to express their own ideas in order to emphasize teachers’ power. Students become more and more silent in the class which make them disengagement. How to maintain teachers’ authority without sacrificing students’ creative thinking ability? It’s the question I want to slove.
ReplyDelete