Teacher support systems and student academic preparedness challenges

Education

As the educational system continues to come under increasing amounts of scrutiny, the teacher is ultimately at the fulcrum of pressure. They are required to digest new educational theory and sort out the wheat from the chaff. They are asked to manage increasing levels of diversity in the classroom, and students who come to class across a widening spectrum of preparedness. At the same time, they are expected to be a students friend, motivator, and at times surrogate parent. Technological advances in the marketplace have made it necessary for teachers to adapt to increasing amounts of technology in the classroom. All of these issues are coming at a time when federal mandates in the No Child Left Behind act are demanding improved performance, in some cased dramatically improved performance.

In light of the increased levels of demands placed on teachers and the continuing decline of academic performance, it is no wonder that today's teacher is suffering from a loss of self-esteem. Teachers are considered important and valuable for the work they do, but their work is done in relative obscurity. According to Chall, in her piece "Restoring Dignity and Self-Worth to teachers" society values the product of an effective teacher, a well educated child, but does not value the teacher enough to pay him or her well. This has been the approach of the American education institutions since the time of de Tocqueville.

Teachers and teaching conditions are developing into what could be compared to early 20th century sweat shop conditions, with low pay, intolerable demands, inadequate resources, and long hours. Teachers often take home materials to correct in their free time. National studies have found that on the average, teachers will spend close to 400.00 of their own money toward classroom supplies.

In order to restore the self dignity of teachers, some suggest increased levels of recognition for their work, and acknowledging teachers in the same way administrators and lecturers are lauded. However, in any organized effort, the leaders receive the praise while those in the trenches continue to wage battle day after day. This pattern is just the way of things. No, the source of improving teacher's dignity will not be found in the short lived praise offered by others, but in giving teachers the tools and support to do their jobs well. Teachers will find their own encouragement when they can look at educated young faces, knowing they have achieved the goal of their profession.

Part Two: Students

Today's students are also in a place of increased risk. Factors affecting their home life, and changing cultural morals which allow children increasing levels of latitude without supervision have created a child that is less suited for the classroom than in any previous generation. Take little Johnny who spends hours per day flipping channels on the television, only to find mindless humor, and unrealistic depictions of everyday life. He leaves the Television to engage in an hour of video games, in which his mind, eyes, ears, and fingers are stimulated to the point of fatigue and numbness. The continual flashing colors, flashing lights and sounds engage Johnny's cerebral cortex, and create thought patterns and expectations. When Johnny leave his video world, any endeavors which are not equally stimulating and sensorily engaging do not hold his attention for more than a few minutes.

Then in the morning, Johnny is asked to attend school, where he sits for hours at a time, trying to make sense out of boring printed words, and chalk talk. Is it any wonder why teachers are having decreased levels of effectiveness on the children? They are charged with the task of educating, not entertaining. And Johnny is used to being entertained.

In Urie Bronfenbrenners piece regarding alienation and the child, he also addressed the sociological issues of homes which have two working parents. The children in these homes tend to carry more responsibility in the home, which can lead toward resentment, while at the same time suffering from a lack of direct parental attention, which can lead to more resentment, or rebellion. Bronfenbrenner also discussed the 'havoc in the home' which the pace of a two parent working home creates. Everything is done in a rush, from collecting books and lunches in the morning as everyone hastens out the door to school and office, to the hurried dinners at night before extracurricular school actives, or evening home work begins. Very seldom do these families get the time to sit, and relax with each other, building the relationship which tend toward strong families and prepared students.

Bronfenbrenner says that the greatest risk is that the external chaos becomes internal chaos. When the scheduling demand begin to leach over into personal relationships, parents marriages suffer, children's confidence levels plummet, and the entire organization called the family looses its cohesiveness. These are the students, and the condition of the students who are coming into class every day. In order for the school to make a positive contribution, it needs to recognize the increasing levels of need which our modern society has created in the lives of its children, and make steps to adapt itself to the tasks at hand. One step proposed by Bronfenbrenner is mentoring relationship for children. Another is increasing school to community ties.

Part Five: Instruction

In light of the previous discussions of teacher's struggles in the classroom, and child social issues, the subject of quality instruction is also receiving much attention. Teachers have a wider scope of issues to address in the classroom, more demands on their time and energy, and less concrete direction as to what approach will produce the results which they are looking for. In addition, changing ethics on the value of discipline in the classroom are also contributing to the wide range of modern educational issues.

Talent and Busch identify the difference between disruptive and defiant behaviors. Disruptive behavior can stem from a number of sources, and will likely not include a direct desire of the child to disrupt the learning environment. For example, children who tap their pencils in a desk, or tip their chair against the wall are normally action out of childhood excess energy, rather than deliberate deviance. The approach to these minor problems is simple reminders, and correction techniques. However, in most classrooms, there tend to be one or two students who wish to disrupt the class for their own benefit, and these children need to experience negative consequences for their behavior in order to learn to make different choices. The approach recommended by these women is a 'time out' period during which the child is separated from the class. By confidently modeling behavioral modification techniques, the teacher can most often turn around common misbehaviors.

In their desire to provide thorough instruction, teacher scan fall into a number of traps which hinder more than help their children. In his piece 'Avoiding Help that Hinders' Martin identifies common mistakes made by teachers that retard children's ability to develop confident work habits. The most common mistake it to be sandbagged by a student, and made to feel responsible for doing work that the student can to themselves. Teachers need to know the performance levels of their student, and challenge and encourage them to use their abilities when a student is trying to float down the educational stream on while the teacher does all the paddling.

He suggests that teachers also remember that they are in control of the classroom, while the student is in control of their educational destiny. Often when a disruptive student is allowed too much latitude in the classroom, the result is that the teacher feels responsible for the child's educational progress or lack thereof while the disruptive child assumes a position of control in the classroom, baiting the teacher into his own agenda. The teacher needs to encourage the realization in the students that they are in control of their destiny, while the teacher is there to hold them accountable, not do the work for them. In this same direction, Martin suggests that teachers avoid repeating directions or answering repeated questions, and thereby force students to pay closer attentions. Teachers should also ignore some of the students' demands for attention. When Little Johnny is making a fuss in order to get attention rather than a legitimate educational need, the teacher has the right, and the power to bypass Johnny's quest for control, and move forward with the class lesson.

Finally Martin suggests that teachers remain confident, even if they feel they need to make exceptions to class room rules. Children are the first to cry 'unfair' when they don't get what they perceive is equal treatment. However, there are time when bending the rules based in additional circumstances is in the best interest of the child, and the classroom. The children all learn that they can expect the same specialized treatment when necessary.

Part Six: Foundations of Education

Pedagogy, and not methodology, is the term used in discussion the habits and patterns which a school uses in order to pursue its goals of replacing ignorance with intelligence in the students' lives. In the educational world, pedagogy is defined as the science, or organizational structure of education. The teacher in the classroom is the foundation upon which the pedagogical process ifs built. The following table outlines some of the benefits of a pedagogical process.

Process of Mastery of New Technology TC l3 "

Without Pedagogy

With Pedagogy

1) Learners have no option but to figure for themselves how to understand lessons and knowledge

Support is given to enable learners to understand how the lessons apply to life, and apply to them.

2) Learners have no option other than to expect that lessons and information will eventually make a meaningful contribution to their lives

The pedagogy takes time to explore what doesn't work well and to explore other alternatives the technology offers

3) Learners have no option but to assume that fellow students, and teachers share their preferences for ways and means of communicating and sharing information

The pedagogy takes into account the e-learning styles of different students, 4) Learners have no option other than to "hack" their way through a lesson, picking up tips and tricks as they stumble across them The pedagogy encourages the development of team communication skills, in order to reduce information overload, and leverage team learning and improve group practices and performance.

Adapted from C. Willet (2002) "eRoom for Power Users, http://www.akgroup.com/solutions/eRoom_powerusers.pdf

Part Seven: Miscellaneous.

The final section of this book contain a collection of essays that address larger cultural issues in the framework of the classroom. Equality in races, between black, white, Hispanic, and others is still a hotly debated topic. Some want to measure equality by equality of outcome. However, in an increasing diverse culture, this measuring stick often does not contain the correct units to make a valid evaluation. Schools cannot guarantee equality of outcome between students, because the outcome is a function of the input the student applies. The equality of opportunity is the cry which must be heard in educational institutions. Whether a student is male of female, white or colored, upper middle class or urban poor, schools need to provide equal access, and equal opportunity. The results, ultimately, are up to the child to take advantage of the opportunity, and become an educated person.

Bibliograpy

C. Willet (2002) "eRoom for Power Users, http://www.akgroup.com/solutions/eRoom_powerusers.pdf

Ryan, K, and cooper, J. (ed) (1988) Kaleidoscope: readings in education. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co.