ACTT National Quality Assurance Conference

1. ACTT National Quality Assurance Conference Remembering ‘Who I Am’ in Teacher Education Nov 17-18, 2011 NAPA Dr. Pearl Rivers

2. This study emerged from the outcome of an assignment which was given to student-teachers enrolled in the course-Classroom Management EDFN301. The course was offered to Third Year Bachelor of Education majors at the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT). Dr. Pearl Rivers

3. Classroom managers strive to create and maintain a positive learning environment, optimize learning time and produce self-regulated students. Dr. Pearl Rivers

4. Assumptions • Effective classroom managers are models of the values, attitudes and behaviours required of students. • Values of love, caring, honesty, integrity, trust, fairness, justice, order, empathy, objectivity, good relational skills and being flexible are critical elements in creating and maintaining a positive classroom climate. Dr. Pearl Rivers

5. Assumptions • Some student-teachers came with baggage which could have negative influence on their effectiveness as classroom managers. • Reflection and introspection were important practices of effective classroom managers. Dr. Pearl Rivers

6. Rationale for the course assignment To help student-teachers’ examine themselves and deal with their ‘baggage’ in order to effectively function as classroom managers. They were to formulate and implement a Personal Enhancement Programme to address the apparent shortcoming. Dr. Pearl Rivers

7. The objective of the assignment was to help student-teachers get rid of ‘baggage’ which, if left untreated could limit the goal of the university to produce a teacher who is emotionally stable, disciplined, teachable, sensitive and caring and who possesses other personal characteristics required for successful teaching and learning. Dr. Pearl Rivers

8. Description of the assignment “Identify an aspect of your personal life that needs enhancing for you to be an effective classroom manager and plan a Personal Enhancement Programme to deal with the aspect identified. Implement the plan and record journal entries of your progress. Submit a copy of your plan and ONE journal entry for each of the first four weeks. Include your feedback on the programme: • the impact of the programme on your personal life; • how the impact will affect your ability to manage a classroom; • your plans for greater improvement and maintenance of the change.” Dr. Pearl Rivers

9. Definitions Baggage refers to those attitudes, values, mindsets and behaviours that are not in keeping with acceptable social norms and standards and which have been internalized and appear to be part of the life-style or modus operandi of student-teachers. Dr. Pearl Rivers

10. Student-teacherA person enrolled in the Bachelor of Education programme (BEd) for the purpose of receiving training and qualification to become a teacher. Definitions Dr. Pearl Rivers

11. Definitions Personal EnhancementAn elimination of those mindsets and behaviour which constitute baggage and replacing with worthwhile and beneficial qualities Dr. Pearl Rivers

12. Classroom Manager is a teacher and his/her capability to create and maintain a positive learning environment so as to optimize teaching and learning time. Definitions Dr. Pearl Rivers

13. Questions that guided the analysis of students’ feedback • What were the personal issues identified by student-teachers as ‘baggage’? • What effect the exercise had on student-teachers? • Did the Personal Enhancement Programme produce the desired outcome? • What were student-teachers’ opinion of the programme’s impact on their performance as classroom managers? • What were student-teachers’ recommendations for improving the Personal Enhancement exercise? Dr. Pearl Rivers

14. Outcome of the programme Aspects of students’ lives identified Dr. Pearl Rivers

15. Emotional Issues • Unforgiveness • Uncontrolled anger • Temper • Feelings of rejection • Low self-esteem • Fear to stand in front of a class • Fear of crowds • Dislike for male students • Fluctuating periods of depression • Easily offended • Pessimism • Prejudice • Judgmental • Dislike of self • Lack of interpersonal skills Dr. Pearl Rivers

16. Identified areas Personal Management • Unpunctuality • Disorganized • Lack of focus • Poor study habits Attitudes • Unteachable • Arrogant • Lazy • Disrespectful Dr. Pearl Rivers

17. Identified areas Physical and Health Issues • Obesity • Poor eating habits • Addiction to alcohol • Addiction to cigarettes • Serious health challenges • Speaking too fast Ethical and Moral Values • Dishonesty • Lack of integrity • Partiality/social bias • Irresponsibility • Uncontrolled use of obscene language • Promiscuity Dr. Pearl Rivers

18. Feedback from students “The plan helped me control my attitude and temper and I did not have as many outbursts as I usually have for simple matters. “I have grown in terms of overcoming my fear of public speaking. I am not that timid to express myself and stand in front of my class or groups.” “After these six weeks these plans, procedures and schedules have become part of me. I am experiencing “early to bed, early to rise” and in so doing, I have been reaching to classes and other appointments on time. Dr. Pearl Rivers

19. Feedback from students con’t “Before doing this assignment I was not aware of how my attitudes and values affected not only my life but those around me. I did not realize how much I was hurting my loved ones. This assignment has helped me develop into a better daughter, sister and friend.” A small group of students reported that initially they did not think they had any quality that required addressing but after introspection several areas of shortcomings were identified. Dr. Pearl Rivers

20. Feedback from students con’t • most of them vowed to continue the exercise, as more time was required to achieve the desired outcome. • Some students indicated that they were apprehensive and attempted the assignment only because it was an assessable exercise. Dr. Pearl Rivers

21. summary of student-teachers’ recommendations • All teachers should be exposed to this exercise; • The duration of the programme was too short. More time should be allowed since personal transformation and enhancement was progressive in nature and takes time; • The programme should be introduced to students in the first year to allow time for internalization. Dr. Pearl Rivers

22. Why focus on ‘me’ – the teacher • a teacher’s professional practice is an expression of ‘who the teacher is’ - the ‘person’ of the teacher. • As educators, we know that ‘who we are’ and the ‘baggage’ we carry have a more potent or equally potent influence on student learning and development than our mastery of subject content, our critical thinking abilities and our pedagogical skills. • A teacher with a mix of emotional complexities (baggage) would be less effective as a professional teacher and a classroom manager. Dr. Pearl Rivers

23. Why focus on ‘me’ – the teacher In teacher education programmes emphasis is usually placed on the acquisition of subject content and pedagogical skills with lesser emphasis on personal development of teachers. Dr. Pearl Rivers

24. Why focus on ‘me’ – the teacher • student-teachers’ prior experiences as learners serve as powerful templates for the ways in which they practice as teachers (Berry 2004) • Student-teachers are products of their societies and undoubtedly their conception of teaching and learning as well as their response to training are influenced by their accumulated experiences and the resultant ‘baggage’. Dr. Pearl Rivers

25. Why focus on ‘me’ – the teacher •  The teacher plays a critical role in accomplishing the goal of classroom management. A teacher’s emotional and social well being and organizing capability are intimately connected to the job of teaching since teachers’ action reflected emotional involvement (Kelchtemans, 2005) Dr. Pearl Rivers

26. Why focus on ‘me’ – the teacher • A teacher with a mix of emotional baggage: hurts, unforgiveness, anger, bitterness, insecurities, fear, feelings of rejection and who lacks ethical and moral principles and values will experience difficulty meeting the demands and expectations of an effective classroom manager. Dr. Pearl Rivers

27. Why focus on ‘me’ – the teacher • The goal of classroom management demands that the teacher be emotionally healthy, practice good self management and displays acceptable ethical and moral principles and standards. Dr. Pearl Rivers

28. conclusion • The assignment revealed the extent of baggage that student-teachers brought into the Bachelor of Education Programme. • This revelation underscores the need to address these questionable personal issues. • Greater focus must therefore be placed on the “person” of the teacher, since “who I am” - who the teacher is and the baggage he/she carries influence performance and student learning and development. Dr. Pearl Rivers

29. Further Investigation The outcome of the Personal Enhancement exercise drew attention to the need to scientifically investigate this further in terms of its effects. • To determine what impact, if any, the programme still has on students’ personal life; • To determine what impact if any the programme still has on students’ performance in the classroom; Dr. Pearl Rivers

30. Further Investigation • To determine the variety of personal issues that are prevailing among the population from which the teachers come; • To determine the approaches that can assist in positive change; • To determine the possibility of developing and instituting a formalized personal enhancement programme as a mandatory component of a Bachelor of Education Programme for perspective teachers. Dr. Pearl Rivers

31. Remember me – I need help! Dr. Pearl Rivers

32. Thank you for your participation