My teaching of needs & motivations through Brookfield's Critical Lenses

Autobiographical
Students were familiar with Maslow's Hierarchy of Need (1970) prior to the lesson and I was conscious not to reinforce what they already knew. My aim instead was to relate the model to their current module of People in action, whereas they are required to assess group dynamics. Despite my awareness and attempt to assess prior knowledge, I do not feel  I adequately modified my planning so as to accommodate this. The main reason for this being that I did not successfully manage to assess the ability of individuals,  but exclusively those that chose to contribute. Consequently, I was worried that not all students may have the underpinning knowledge and so chose to start from the beginning, addressing the theory before moving on to the specific relevance to the module. As some students chose to leave before the end of the session, and so missed the teaching which was arguably most relevant, I think this may not have been the best approach. I do believe that for the majority of students new learning occurred and the learning outcomes were met, however admittedly the process may have proved in part repetitive and elongated. I am undecided as to how I would tackle this lesson the
 next time around, but will certainly be more aware of the need to fully assess prior learning so as to successfully differentiate.

Learner Perspectives
Although formal feedback from students was not requested, Brookfield (1995) identifies natural feedback and  responsiveness to learning as a means of evaluation (Atkinson & Irving, 2013).
Despite my limited differentiation, students appeared fully engaged for the first part of the lesson, and in particular researched and presented the level of need allocated to their group with enthusiasm. I expect this is due to the variation in activity. However, as the session progressed some students appeared to disengage, and remarked that they were tired or had enough. A selection of students were in a rush to leave and reported to have prior commitments, reporting they would work from home and requesting a copy of the power point to enable this. During the workshop which was held towards the end of the session, a number of students remained so as to discuss with myself how they could use Maslow's hierarchy within their personal poster presentations. These students admitted to now understanding how the model fits into their current projects, this being new learning for them.

Peer Perspectives
Speaking to my tutor at the end of the session made me realise that the happenings which I directly related with  my own shortcomings, were in fact the shared grievances of others. We discussed the fact that as the students I were teaching were second years, they had formed habits which were difficult to break: the main one being the expectation to finish the session early. My mentor also
advised me that for some students within the group it would have been worthwhile repeating the theory, this made me feel a little better in that the first 30 minutes of my teaching was maybe not all in vain. My tutor also praised my power point presentation and described it as "exceptionally good and inspiring" my intention is to now work out a means of transferring the high standard I demonstrate at the planning stage, into practice in the classroom.

Theoretical
My readings at present are concerned with the idea of a liberating education whereas individuals are encouraged to be critical thinkers, creative and reflective. The writings of Jean Jacques Rousseau (1762, cited by Doyle & Smith, 2007), John Dewey (1897),  Richard Pring (2004), and Paulo Freire (Freire & Macedo, 2005) propose an alternate future for education, one which embraces prior student experiences as integral to decision making. Education for social reform as defined by the theorists, philosophers, psychologists and educational reformers, is an ideal which at present I need to research further so as to determine my thinking. However, their philosophies have proved thought provoking and my lesson of Individual Needs and Motivations was planned in consideration of these ideals. Activities were intended to encourage critical thinking and creativity, and take account of past experience. As aforementioned, I now require the skills to promote these concepts in practice.

My thoughts on "embedding" and compulsory "reflection" of English & Mathematics at H.E

As I read the key themes within my module handbook which my reflective log ("my teaching journey") is required to address, I realise that despite being massively over the recommended word count I still have not discussed a key theme:

• The role of English and  Mathematics in the subject that I teach. 

This annoys me a little as I have reflected upon far more pressing and consequential learnings, so why the need for conformity? This is my reflective log right?! A perfect example by my calculations of stifling creativity and discouraging critical thinking (Freire & Macedo, 2005). 

I think back to my own learning experiences at H.E level and I do not recall mathematics being embedded within lessons, is this because my fantastically talented tutors did so without my noticing? possibly, but I think  not. These are the guys that provide my inspiration; my role models, my perception upon which I base my reality of a teacher: dynamic, passionate, talented, ambitious, current, supportive, and most importantly, HUMAN. Did these guys specifically embed mathematics when it does not seem fitting of the module, or is this a F.E concept which does not easily transfer into the H.E sector? I imagine my H.E students reactions to a grouping exercise whereas they must solve mathematical problems. 

I think back to the Major Study module which I recently taught on, whereas students carried out individual educational research projects. With hindsight I  realise this module was the place on which to teach mathematics, and I could/ should have done more to facilitate mathematical development. Percentages, averages, charts and graphs were relevant to the students here and would most likely have been well received, as oppose to an abstract exercise carried out during a module which does not seem fitting, so to unnecessarily meet Ofsted requirements. However, this realisation has at least encouraged me to brush up on my mathematical skills so as I can adequately support individual students in upcoming major study supervision sessions. 

The design of the Early Years course and the assessment criteria ensure literary development is naturally occurring within my subject specialism. Lessons generally promote: reading, comprehension, academic and reflective writing, speaking and listening skills: theories and models in relation to the module outcomes introduce students to new terminology which they are encouraged to use within their assignments. Feedback as per the formative assessment process further supports students to increase their literacy skills. In light of this fundamental embedding of literacy within my subject and the level at which I am teaching, I question the necessity to add it as an extra within my planning, and reflect upon it within my log?

I wonder whether my adverse and concise reflection of English and Mathematics addresses the theme in enough detail to meet the assessment criteria, I guess I need to practice what I preach so I will take a chance and find out. Watch this space!!

The Process of Transition

According to John Fisher (2012), individuals progress through nine sequential  phases of learning in the process of transition. As my teaching journey is one of colossal personal transition, I thought this model worthy of reflection:

 Complacency 

I have intentionally started with the final phase of transition, as this is from where I feel my journey began. 

Prior to undertaking the PGdipE, I had a rather comfortable, flexible and relatively well paid job, whereas I worked 9 -5 and my home life was my own. However, the role provided extremely limited opportunities for career progression and consequently I adopted a laid back approach to work. I thought I was doing a good enough (better than some) job, and so coasted through the day with ease: I was well within my comfort zone, as were many fellow colleagues. However, this was not enough; I had ambition, motivation, determination, and potential: so I sought a new challenge which refreshingly turned out to be teaching!! 

Anxiety 

I remember this feeling well, which according to Fisher (2012) is unique as individuals often do not recognise the process of transition. Over the summer months my future was uncertain and seemingly in the hands of others: although I could imagine, my prospects were by no means a given. I was awaiting decisions from organisations which were outside of my control; namely UCAS, SFE and HMRC. My main anxieties were related to either gaining a place on the teacher training course, or securing funding so as to make my studies a realistic option, given I would no longer be able to work. Once these issues were resolved my anxieties became concerned with my level of expertise, time management skills, and being accepted in to a new team. 

Happiness

To a certain degree I feel I am maybe still operating within this phase. I remain excited by my future; I feel I am taking control of both my own life and my families destiny: the future is bright. My hopes, rather than my expectations, are high. According to Fisher (2012), the rest of the transition curve can be virtually flattened if this phase is managed correctly: I can but hope!

Fear 

A question I was asked in class recently "Is the private you and the teacher you, the same person?" reminded me of a conversation I had with a student a few weeks ago. During a 1:1 tutorial the student noticed and commented on my local dialect. I was a little taken a back as I consciously attempt to curb this in class so as to be a positive role model and more fitting of what I perceive a H.E teacher to be. However, evidently during the conversation I had shown my true self. Upon reflection, I realised this to be a consequence of my comfort and confidence in my ability. Admittedly, I remain fearful  of saying the wrong thing or giving incorrect information, and consequently adopt a diplomatic approach to communications with both students and colleagues. Is the the real me? Maybe not at home, but possibly the real professional  me?!

Threat

A phase I do not feel has proven consequential or particularly worth of remark. As aforementioned, although I am aware that my values are changing, I consider the transformation a move out of the dark and into the light. I am solely focused on my family and our future;  I can overcome potential threats with their support. 

Guilt

I have several examples of times at which I have felt guilt over the course of my teaching. However, one particular occurrence plagued me for days; an unprofessional remark I made to a colleague. Although the comment seemingly went unnoticed, submerged in the moment, I thought I had over stepped the boundary. I was ashamed in myself for having made the remark and hoped my colleague did not think less of me as a consequence. Although such guilty feelings are an every day occurrence as a student teacher, I realise that these are all part of the learning process. I am able to accept and move on from these feelings, and therefore have not as yet submerged into depression. This is where my journey halts...........

Reflective Practice: Gibbs Cycle

Reflection of Teaching using Gibbs Cycle (1988)

Description

This reflection is concerned with my teaching of the People in Action module to second year BA Hons Early Years students. There were 18 students present in the class, as well as myself, and my mentor for the first part, all of whom are female. The classroom environment was familiar to both myself and the students, and is the university campus of a FE college with offers Hons level courses. Before the session I had a meeting with my mentor whereas she requested copies of the power point presentations I had used from previous weeks and advised me that she would be accompanying me for the first part of the lesson today, she also advised me that she had received positive feedback from students regarding my teaching. The aim of the session was to provide students with formative feedback so as to aid them in completion of a poster presentation which critically analyses interpersonal and group dynamics in a film or piece of literature. The presentation is expected to be displayed on a single power point slide, with an audio attached lasting approximately five minutes. The learning outcomes, as stated in the lesson plan, were that by the end of the session students are able to:

1.     Recognise the strengths of their poster presentation. 

2.     Identify areas for development. 

3.     Demonstrate an understanding of what is expected in relation to the module outcomes. 

The session was well planned and began with an 'Assessment for Learning' activity, whereas students were provided with a post it note and asked to write down any anxieties and remaining questions, in relation to the subject or assessment criteria. Students then stuck there post it on a question mark at the front of the class, these were revisited at the end of the session.

Students were next divided into groups using a random numerical method, there were four groups with 4 - 5 students in each group. I explained the activity, whereas each student would take it in turn to present their poster to the group, and the other group members would provide both verbal and written feedback  in the form of 'Medals and Mission'. Students were each allocated 10 minutes and a timer was displayed so as they could monitor the time. Myself and a my mentor moved between the groups listening to presentations and offering feedback. On completion of the presentations I provided some generic feedback to the group based upon the observations of myself and my mentor. 
Once feedback had been provided, we revisited the anxieties/ questions displayed on the post it notes. I read out each post it notes in turn and the majority of students reported that their anxieties had been alleviated as a result of formative assessment; the issues which remained were discussed as a group and I answered any final questions. 

The remainder of the session was allocated to tutorials;I had a schedule which had been emailed out to students beforehand so as they were aware of their time slot. However, some replied to the email requesting an earlier time, others cancelled on the day, and others requested a tutorial despite having not put their name down for one when they were offered the previous week. In addition, the first part of the session had run over time wise, and so instead of starting at 2.30, the first tutorial started at 2.45. 

Feelings

I felt a little nervous at the start of this lesson due to my mentor being present. In her absence I guess I had become overly comfortable with my teaching and this prompt reminded me of the fact that I was a student teacher. I was torn between two ideas as to the cause of the reigns being tightened:either it was the result of a college meeting / student grievance, or it was simply the role of the mentor to keep these tabs;  which we both had neglected slightly due to workload. Either way, I thought I should have done a better job of keeping in touch so as to prevent me feeling anxious. Once the lesson got going a little I became less aware of my mentors presence and I was grateful she involved herself in the formative assessment process, I realised almost instantaneously that her expertise and experience were invaluable at this stage as she noticed things which I missed. This realisation disturbed me, how many times I had I missed things without noticing?
I continued to reflect on the lesson over the course of the evening and the more I though about it, the worse I decided it had gone. The students had seemed to get a lot of it, but I made mistakes as a teacher which plagued me - could/ should I have done better? 

Evaluation 

Considering the lesson more logically with time elapsed, I now realise that I am being unrealistic in my expectations of myself. I can now appreciate the positives: students are making good progress and being creative in their thinking, students respond to me well and I have built up a good rapport with the majority, through tutorial I was able to identify those in need of further support.

Aspects of the lesson which did not go to plan were: 

• The timer - students required differing amounts of time in presenting and consequently changed presenter as they were ready. However, it provided me with a guide so as to prompt a change in presenter if the group had not already done so. 
• The random division of students into groups did not ensure mixed abilities, although this did not present as a problem I question whether formative feedback would have been more advantageous to some individuals, had groups been more equal. 
• Tutorials were a little disorganised due to being late starting, students repeatedly changing times, and requesting a tutorial despite having not booked. 

Analysis 

I noticed that the lesson seemed a little rowdy at times and I had to ask the students to listen, however when my mentor spoke, the students instantaneously quietened and paid attention - How did she achieve that? respect maybe?! I attempted to adopt my mentors tactic and speak more softly rather than raising my voice above the level of the students, but it only lasted momentarily before I reverted back to old habits. Maybe softly softly is just not my style?

During the lesson, I felt a little silly dividing the students into groups by allocating them a number, however it was not until later that I realised why: the random allocation did not allow me to ensure groups were of mixed ability. Although I felt a little disappointed in myself for not having realised this, in my defence I do not feel I know the students well enough to have successfully differentiated. 

The post-it note activity seemed well received with students appreciating the opportunity to raise concerns. However, I realised in action (Schon, 1991) that I should have allowed the students to remain anonymous. My reasoning for asking "who's is this one?" was to allow them the opportunity to elaborate, however this could have been achieved by asking "does any one want to admit to / elaborate on this?". Students did not seem aggrieved by being asked to identify themselves and were happy to share their thoughts, however I realise this could have gone differently. 

The contribution of my mentor most definitely improved the end result, her feedback was invaluable, and although the students would not have realised what they had missed out on had she not been there, this could have potentially been reflected in their grades. 

Overall, despite the rather haphazard process, the end product was effective: the lesson was a success and I have a concrete base on which to plan for next week. 

Conclusion 
Time allowing, I could have better got to know my students abilities and put more effort in to learning their names. Learner profiles would have allowed me to be better equipt so as to differentiate and create groups of mixed ability for the purpose of formative assessment. A better understanding of not only the module outcomes, but also the intermediate level marking criteria, would also have been beneficial; this would have allowed me to provide specific feedback to  stretch and challenge students of all abilities.  Tutorials could also have been organised differently: instead of teaching and then scheduling tutorials, I could have solely scheduled tutorials over a two week period, whereas students selected their own time slots. 

Evaluation
I am due to start teaching the same module  to a different set of students in a few weeks. Next time around, I will learn from my mistakes:

• I will ensure I have access to learner profiles before commencing teaching.
• I will gain access to the marking criteria.
• I will organise tutorials so as students are allowed to select their own time slot and not attempt to 'teach' on the same day. 
• I will maintain better communication with my mentor.  

(Cycle taken from: Jasper,M. (2003). Beginning Reflective Practice – Foundations in Nursing and Health Care. Cheltenham: Nelson Thornes.)

Pedagogy of the Oppressed.

Despite the late hour I find myself once again reading Paulo Freire's revolutionary classic, 'pedagogy of the oppressed''(Freire & Macedo, 2005). Now this is not exactly an easy read, slightly dodgy translations, and "marxist jargon" (Freire & Macedo, 2005, p.20) to comprehend, but my attention is divided as my husband is on the phone by my side defending my writings: "its a blog not an academic assignment" I hear him say. Ok, time I temporarily put down the book and paid attention: having read my blog, my sister-in-law (the teacher) has feedback for me, eeek...........this is good, someone has read my blog!!!

So, seemingly I have a few (ok more than a few) typing errors. Now this does not sit easily with me, within my academic writing I am a perfectionist - proof reading to the last hour before deadline. So as you can imagine, my first thought was to edit and amend. However, upon reflection I have decided to resist the temptation and leave the human errors as they stand.  Here's why:  my disclaimer.  The purpose of my blog is for ease of entry, I want to use it as a working document, as evidence, analysis and reflection on, and where practical in, action (Schon, 1991). If I seek perfection I lose writing in the moment, so please forgive my imperfections, and keep reading..........

Back to the book.....
Up until a few weeks ago I had never heard of the author Paulo Freire; I chose the book on a bit of a whim as my tutor suggested it as one of many 'philosophical perspectives on learning' which may be of interest to me for use within my assignment, and this one seemed to jump off the shelf.  Having read the book its quite obvious why; Freire is writing about me, right?!

Up until now guess I never really understood my own motivations for wanting to teach; as I can not be an eternal student it just seemed the next logical step. I knew I was good at the academic stuff and often seem to be the oracle in my own classes, whom fellow students turn to for help with their work. Also I love the buzz that learning and new knowledge gives me, and I desperately want to better myself, be a positive role model, and provide a good standard of living for my children.
However, there  is so much to learn and take on-board as a new teacher that conformity to the norm occurs without realisation; terms such as inclusivity, differentiation and embedding learning lead the way (rather shallowly in my own case).
However, I can honestly say that reading pedagogy of the oppressed has transformed my thinking and provided me with new motivations; I now understand the type of teacher I want to be. Admittedly it took a while , and over the course of my reading I have been disturbed by the thoughts:

• Am I a "banking educator"? 
• Have I been programmed into conformity, or groomed to fit societies measure of the norm?
• Are my own children on the same course? 
• Am I on the verge of shifting from oppressed to oppressor? What can I do to prevent this?
• How can I ensure I don't stifle creativity and critical thinking, whilst teaching to a criteria which at times appears to students to be disconnected from reality?
• How can I employ dialogical methods of teaching and encourage dialogue in the classroom?

Admittedly, I can think of instances when in implementing the program of study and working to the assessment criteria, I have: 'taught' instead of 'facilitated', deposited information which is disconnected from reality,  and potentially hindered creativity and critical thinking. From here on in, I intend to reflect upon the aforementioned questions which have plagued my thoughts: in embedding numeracy, literacy and ICT, in differentiating learning so as meet the needs of the individual learner, in planning for and implementing inclusive practice. I hope to work within the current system and bridge the gap between the realities of practice which consists of seemingly arbitrary assessment criteria, and students motivations, perspectives, interests and realities. 

I make no claim of transformation, I am not naive in my thinking; society and education will remain of its present structure despite my efforts. Neither am I certain I would wish for transformation to the extent of Freire's ideal, after all the present system is one of familiarity; surely radical transformation would be to the detriment of generations?! Maybe, as Freire would argue, this means I am colonized, accepting of oppression as I do not recognise its nature, and fearful  of liberation. However, I would argue the opposite, maybe, and just maybe, I am happy!!

So I guess after all I sit on the fence a little, but definitely perched with my eyes wide open. 

Test Experiment - if I save and don't publish, can I use the blog as a means or recording reflective entries I do not want my students to view?

Feeling naughty hehe.

A world of opportunities.

So I laid in bed after publishing my first ever blog; three things occurred to me which I had not yet considered:

1. If my intention is to use this blog as a reflective journal for my teaching assignment, how am I going to interject enough academic fluff to met the module outcomes, into what is shaping up to be a rather informal approach?

2. This would be great to share with students and ask for their feedback on certain elements of my teaching practice,  but there may be things I do not want them to read, can I make these aspects private?

3. Can I can get blogger  on my phone? This would allow me to make the most of idol times I spend waiting - over lunch at university, in the school playground, at kids dentist/ orthodontist / opticians/ immunisation appointments; you get the drift right!

So my mission for today is to find out: watch this space, I will be an expert blogger come the stroke of midnight!!

A bloggers virgin voyage into the world of social media!!

Ok, so today I took my head out of the clouds and joined the 21st century!!

Twitter, Yammer, Blogger, Moodle; a world of social media with with I am trying to get to grips. I never realised I was such a social media virgin, what was I doing when the information revolution hit?! Having babies, playing pool, working hard.......eek I have some catching up to do.

Day 1 of the rest of my life.
I now have a twitter account which I intend to use for professional purposes, and have stolen some people to follow from fellow co-workers. Not sure I know what I am doing, but I don't think it looks too difficult. Maybe I will need to persist a little, at the minute although I can see the potential value, I haven't come across any 'tweets' of interest.
My yammer account is in full swing, and I have used it to access teaching resources, Once I am more confident in the use of Yammer, I am thinking I will create a space and use it with my own students. This will be a huge step for me, at present I am using email to communicate with and send resources. However, I understand the limitations of this system; email can be too random and disorganised with no capacity to search.
Blogger: lets see how this post goes!! I set up the account (with a little help from a friend), but am not sure I will ever find my blog again ha. I do hope I can; can't afford to lose an hour out of my crazy busy life. I think I will copy and paste into 'Word', just in case. I am wondering who is actually going to read this? but then does it really matter, this is my reflective journal right.

I am hoping my steep learning cure will allow me to enrich both my own learning experiences in the short term and those of my students in the long term. Although I expect this will take a little while, I hope to persevere so as to reap the rewards. At  the minute technology seems to slow me down rather than speed me up, would you believe I am only 32? I am reading this and thinking my lack of  knowledge in the field of social media makes me sound much older than my years!!