Taking a Pulse - A Mid-Course Reflection

I actually cannot believe that we are almost halfway through this class. I have to say that I have enjoyed it. At first, I was overwhelmed by the upkeep with the blogs/exams on-line/projects. But I have gotten into the "school mode" and feel like I'm handling it fairly well. I don't feel like I have read the text as thoroughly as I would have liked so far, and there is a lot of information that I just feel like I am skimming. But I still feel like I have learned a lot in a short amount of time. Also, I think that we have an interesting group of people and enjoy the discussions. Anne does an excellent job facilitating the class, and I believe that we all feel very supported.

Social Cognitive Theory in Action

    The learning theory that I relate to the most is the Social Cognitive Theory mainly because I agree that we set goals and develop a sense of our own capabilities based on observation of others. Although, I do believe that we innately respond to stimuli which is heavily focused on in the Behaviorist Theory, I believe that we rise above these more primitive tendencies with maturity and life experience. For example, a person may develop an intense fear of public speaking after an unpleasant experience (perceived failure/ridicule). But, this fear may be diminished after the individual observes peers (modeling) speaking, receiving support/praise and performing the task successfully. This supports the Social Cognitive idea of vicarious reinforcement.
     Of course, the probability that the individual will be motivated to overcome their fear will depend on the degree of self-regulation which is also a Social Cognitive (SC) idea. For example, a young child might run from the challenge to avoid "pain" where a more mature individual might see the long term rewards/satisfaction of moving through the discomfort and striving for and reaching the goal of overcoming the anxiety. Therefore, they will establish the steps necessary to reach their goal. Of course, the individual may have a very low degree of self-efficacy (another SC idea) which will ultimately affect their decision to self-regulate and follow the model's example.
     In my own life, two examples of learning/achievement that support this theory were probably my completion of my undergraduate degree and writing for national publications. Both challenges were, I believe, only achieved through successful modeling and increased self-efficacy which empowered me to self-regulate and perform the tasks/make the sacrifices to achieve my goals.
     First, I came from large lower middle class family. College was encouraged, but it was made clear that there could be no financial support. However, I had recently witnessed the graduation/success of an older sibling at the University of Tennessee (yeah, go Vols!). He also had no financial support. However, he navigated the terrain of financial aid and held several jobs on and off campus. Although, he is intellectually more gifted (I believe), his modeling of academic success heavily influenced my drive to achieve the same goal.
     I also always enjoyed writing and had the "dream" of writing for a national publication at some point in my life; however, the idea still seemed a bit far-fetched. But after ten years in the work force, I took several years off to be with my children at home. I happened to see a non-credit class offered at the University of Tennessee (yeah, go Vols!). So, I decided to register. I found myself in a class with a large group of "wanna-be writers" like myself, but I also had the privilege to meet several (including the instructor) that had been published many times. And to my surprise, they were just normal people with a passion for a subject. My passion (at the time) was natural health. I had "enough" writing ability/self-efficacy to send that very first pitch, but I would have never sent it had I not seen the success modeled by my peers in my first writing class.
     Of course, I can see the Social Cognitive Theory in action in my classroom as well. For example, I can see where our modeling, as teachers, can improve social skills which are essential for success in life. We model success every day. I can also see that a student's self-efficacy (with effective guidance/teaching) improves throughout their education. And as a teacher that has both high school freshman and seniors, I believe that it is apparent (in most cases) that the students learn to self-regulate and set many of their own goals with experience and maturity.

Setting the Stage for Instruction (Part 2)

High School Case Study/Vignette

You have started to dread your fifth period history class. It is made up entirely of seniors who are counting the days until graduation and seem to care very little about learning. Most of the students are obviously members of one clique or another. Whenever they think your back is turned, they start passing notes and text messaging. Worse, three boys have started disrupting those engaged in learning. No matter what you say, they laugh at the students who present their group projects to the class. Yesterday, Tony, Jeff, and Morris started rough housing; then all three of them refused to sit down and follow the class procedures that the classroom community agreed upon at the beginning of the year. Although you have been using a set approach to handling infractions of rules, you decide it is time to change these procedures.

My intervention:

     First, I would set aside class time to discuss the issues at hand. I might tell the class the day before what was going to happen to emphasize the seriousness of the situation. When the students entered the class on the chosen day, I would have a new seating arrangement and possibly a list of basic classroom rules on the board or on a handout.
     At this level of continued disruption, I would have to make sure that my own frustrations were in check beforehand and that my approach was as depersonalized and neutral as possible. As these are "older" students, I would approach the class in less of a lecture format and more of a discussion. I would try to empathize with the students by discussing their approaching graduation date and how it is "normal" and common that they become impatient and disinterested in the curriculum. I might even share a personal experience of my own or allow time for appropriate venting. Of course, I would also stress the importance of success in the class as failure to meet requirements could hinder their graduation.
     Next, I would revisit what a classroom community looks like and invite their input. Again, I would try to depersonalize the conversation and encourage all feedback. Finally, I would review all rules for the classroom including those for cell phone usage and general expectations. Then, I would go over the procedures if classroom rules are not followed: i.e. 1) warning 2) conference 3) referral to AP, etc. I would try to end the discussion in a positive manner relaying the full expectation that I believe that they can rise to the occasion and self-correct.

Setting the Stage for Instruction (Part 1)

For the rest of my teaching career, I will probably never forget my second semester English IV class.  It was full of mostly male students with a bunch of larger-than-life personalities and an epidemic of full-blown senioritis. To make matters worse, we started out the semester with a lead teacher on maternity leave and a first year teacher (me) as the "veteran." And seniors are tricky. They look like full-grown adults. They sound like full-grown adults. I even had two proud fathers in my first semester class who sometimes would miss because they were "up all night with the baby." As a mother of two, we could talk "teething" and "diaper rash creams"; so, I had a tendency to want to treat them more like peers. And after working with freshman the whole first part of my day, it felt like I should be able to let my guard down with these (some) fully bearded, sometimes gainfully employed, and bigger-than-me students who I even parked near in the parking lot or passed on the road driving to school. But, this was not the case. Just for the record..for the most part, seniors in high school are not full-grown adults. In fact, I had to pull out every bit of teacher in me to get any instruction done in this classroom.

Creating a productive learning environment and classroom management are critical to success in the classroom setting. A teacher can have all the "theory" in the world, spend four days on a lesson plan just to have a few students derail it in about four seconds. So, what does a productive learning environment look like, and what must a teacher do to maintain order in that environment? I am finding that some of it will depend on the class as each seems to have its own distinct "personality." And some of it will depend on the teacher as there are teachers who can "get away" with more than others. For example, some teachers seem to be able to "play" or "tease" with the class and not lose order while it does not work at all with another teacher. I can only guess that it may have something to do with the level of respect the students have for the instructor and how much credibility that they have with the class. However, going into my second year teaching, there are things that I believe are essential:

1. Enforcing Practical and Reasonable Rules: I once worked with an amazing teacher who had only a few rules posted. They made sense and they were respectful of the student and the classroom. They were enforced consistently without any noted "power struggle" or need to "control" the students...just for the sake of control. He had no problems maintaining order and was in-turn respected. 
2. Creating an Environment of Respect with No Exceptions: I believe that there are fewer things that are more infuriating to a student than unfairness and favoritism. As humans, we all have the tendency to have our "favorite" students and those that just "get under our skin." But I believe, as professionals, that it is critical that we treat all students as fairly as possible.
3. Minimizing Responses to Minor Disruptions: My experience has been that we truly have to choose our battles. If we become hyper-vigilant in the classroom, we begin to lose our effect and our credibility. If we spend the whole class time "harping", we soon get tuned out.
4. Building Relationship: I had a very effective teacher tell me once that she made a special effort at the door before class and after class to comment on haircuts, new tennis shoes, plays at Friday night's football game..or essentially anything that showed the students that she cared and noticed. I heard (more than once) this year, "I hate Mr./Mrs. "So in So". When asked "Why", they often said, "He/she hates kids." I believe that they students need to know that we like what we do... and we like them. 
5. Disciplining with Dignity: Be mindful and respectful of how we discipline. For example, speak to the student in private and with respect. Also, show the student that it is not "personal." For example, make an effort (after the discipline has taken place) to show the unconditional positive regard for him/her by calling on them to answer a question or giving a "pat on the back" or a compliment.

These are just a few strategies that I have found to be essential for setting the stage for instruction. Of course, there are many more. And there are situations that you encounter in the classroom that there is no preparation or "rule book." There are situations that are going to require simple common sense and good judgment.  But, I believe, that if we strive for consistency and respect, we will find that our challenges are mostly manageable. I also find that a healthy sense of humor is critical when teaching any grade level. Laughing with a student is bonding. It also shows the student that you are not just a one-dimensional figure in front of the classroom but a multi-faceted human being who is on this journey with them...and even enjoying the ride. 

The Unmotivated Student

I said to a teacher friend the other day that I wished that I had daily shots of motivation that I could just inject into my students. Motivation..it was my biggest obstacle this year. I found myself bribing, begging, and dragging kids across the finish line.  I gave almost weekly sermons on the importance of education and tried to relate it to their daily experiences with the breakdown of how much "stuff" one could buy with a minimum wage job versus one that required higher education or training. I brought doughnuts on Fridays. I praised. I threatened. I kept a steady flow of candy for any signs of life. And at the end of the year I promised my friend..I swore to her..crossed my heart..that I would not get so emotionally invested in their success next year. But my veteran teacher friend smiled and just said, "yes, you will."

So, what motivates students? What drives one to be intrinsically motivated to do their very best while the student sitting right next to him or her just wants to know how many minutes to the bell? I think that this is a complex question with many factors to consider. Does the student find value/relevance in what you are teaching? Does the student feel competent in the subject area?  But after working in a low socio-economic and rural high school for one year, I too often have reflected on the simple model of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. Are their basic needs being met? Can we realistically expect a student who fell asleep at 3 am on their friend's couch and hasn't had a good meal in two days to master algebraic equations...or even care?

The humanist, Abraham Maslow, identified five basic needs: Physiological, Safety, Love and Belonging, Esteem, and Self-Actualization. However without the first three being met it is unlikely that the last two (where we accomplish/achieve) will ever be realized. So, what can we do as educators to help ensure that the student's basic needs are being met?  First, we need steady collaboration with other professionals in our school and community. For example, there are food programs in many areas that provide essentials for weekends/summer breaks if it is suspected that hunger is an issue in the home. And of course, we have the responsibility to collaborate with our guidance counselors and report any suspicion of neglect/abuse. But we also can actually play some part in the student's need for belonging and esteem. We have a powerful influence in how we treat students by showing them respect  and of course, as we have heard so much about in recent years, we have a responsibility in protecting them from being mistreated or "bullied" by other students.

Again, there are countless reasons for a lack of motivation. And for those that have their basic needs met, we often can dangle the carrot..or the doughnut..and nudge them until something clicks, and  hopefully they taste the sweet satisfaction of accomplishment..and want it again..just for the sake of accomplishment. This is what we want..intrinsically motivated learners. This makes educating fun and enjoyable for the teacher and the student. But first, I think, that we have to help ensure that the students are being emotionally and physically cared for so that they have the very best opportunity to learn. Of course, as instruction has to be our primary focus, what we can "fix" on our own is limited. But we can always be a voice.

First Impressions

So....my first impressions of Educational Psychology were a bit daunting. But it had little to do with the actual content of the class. When I graduated the first time, I was a few credits away from a double major with one being in psychology. This class would come easy for me..I thought. It would be kind of a "break" from teaching all year. But my undergraduate degree was completed almost two decades ago, and well..things have certainly changed. For one, checking my mail did not require "logging on" but a walk to the campus post office. And outside of class communication with the professor was rare and only took place by appointment...usually set up by land-line if you were lucky enough to catch them in the office. Class notes were taken by hand with stacks of spiral notebooks filled with notes, lists and doodles by the end of a semester. And a research paper...well, it began with a search through a dusty card catalog and hopefully some assistance from the main "search engine"...the librarian...often to be found filing a National Geographic among the thousands of periodicals. And the completed paper...it was not "posted" to be read and graded but had to be hand-written and then typed by someone on campus who provided "typing services"...usually at a couple of dollars per page. Then, the one..and usually only...copy was carefully delivered on-foot before being critiqued in red ink.  And what really is a "blog" anyway? If you had asked me in 1993, I would have guessed that it was a lesson that I missed in microbiology class...maybe as I was busy catching up with my classmates as there was no Facebook, Twitter...or even a cell phone. So...to walk into this partially "virtual" classroom...I must admit that it threw me a bit. However, as I looked at the "on-line" syllabus and I read my first emails from my professor, my nerves began to settle. I realized that I am well-supported by actual living and breathing human beings in this virtual new world. I also realized that some of these educational issues and obstacles that we all face as educators have not changed much since the first one-room school. So... after figuring out how to navigate through this unfamiliar territory, I am beginning to get excited to learn from those who have taught before me. I look forward to applying what I learn in my own classroom.  And I am also even...maybe...a little bit excited about these new technological modes of communication/learning right at my fingertips.