Managing_&_Responding_to_Behaviour_in_a_Learning_Enviroment

Task 1: Describe and discuss the aspects of national legislation, which have relevance to behaviour in the learning environment. The National Legislation describes Crowds and the importance for safety. HSE talks about how important it is primarily a management responsibility and requires the application of the best practices of health and safety management. All who run venues, organise events or manage places, which attract crowds, should have a health and safety management system, which anticipates, monitors and controls potential crowding risks. Because venues, both fixed and transient, are large and complex spaces, the management of crowds requires teamwork with good communications and co-ordination between those responsible for the overall operation and those managing crowds face to face. Effective teamwork depends on senior managers providing a positive and pro-active safety culture so that staff at all levels is aware of the importance of crowd safety. Wimbledon has on one course ninety students’ this group of ninety students share a room when it comes to registration every morning. The classroom contains maximum thirty people with tables and chairs and that would be the best solution for this room and students. When it comes to safety in this building and some rooms they are over crowed with students’ some don’t have adequate space to work, path ways walk ways hard to pass, its becoming a hazard for students and staff as they need to move freely when in and around rooms, plus in such a tight environment the rooms are very small, if a fire evacuation was to take place, I could see a major hazard building within classrooms and hall ways. I believe management has never discussed the issue of over crowding at Wimbledon, they require three classrooms for morning and afternoon registrations. They have three classrooms’ ready to use for normal classes but chose to engage all students in one room, the course has 3 tutors who have tutor groups’ they could take there groups into the other classrooms which would half congestion with the students and make the rooms more accessible for all users. Legislation says it’s the management’s responsibility to make sure safety if at the highest for all learners, I don’t believe Wimbledon has this priority with the rooms during the registrations. Task: 1. 2: Make a suggestion for the content of a policy and justify your suggestions. University of the Arts London is situated in south Wimbledon a community, that houses affluent designers who seek guidance in creativity. Wimbledon has some eccentric students who are forward thinking but lack standards when it comes to time management. The atmosphere is very much relaxed and the staffs appear to have the same approach to dealing with students. My observation at University of the Arts London seems that all students are treated like young adults with admiration plus insuring they fully understand that they are not kids but adults who are moving into the real world, they are constantly been reminded to take control of their time management as such every step is taken to groom and encourage them of their behaviour and actions at UAL. Clearly University of the Arts London follows the national legislation act when it comes to maintaining order in the building but it is not clearly presented to staff and students alike who should know and have copies of their policies. I have asked my mentor, admin team, student handbook and web site. The only legislation act you find is currently on the Student Union web site that is linked to the University of the Arts London web page. My suggestion is that Wimbledon College, should address there policy issue because they currently are in the process of moving site and the college will be bigger from 2011. The students at UAL are clearly not people who would create situations regarding behaviour and have to be disciplined when they step out of line. These young students are very well mannered with respect for all but under line issues, which can’t be seen, is what they seem to have. The staff as such has a very good reputation with students and they handle each and everyone with care, to allow them time for healing in every situation. The institution has never really experienced behaviour as such but implements the national legislation act to its students at the Wimbledon when handling ongoing matters that interfere with student development but it’s my full recommendation that UAL create visual hard back or online presence for their policy for everyone to have and see. The University is required to monitor your attendance and report, as appropriate, to the appropriate Agency, the Local Education Authorities and the Student Loans Company. All students’ are expected to attend all timetabled sessions, including lectures, seminars, group and individual tutorials, learning support sessions, workshops, inductions and demonstrations.  Attendance that you can take full advantage of the learning and teaching opportunities available to you and gain.  Poor attendance affects others and They go onto say, if you miss sessions you will be contacted by the Course Director or Personal Tutor and offered the opportunity to discuss any difficulties that might be affecting your attendance and ways in which the University might help you attend more regularly. If your attendance continues to be poor you will receive a warning letter, your visa or student loan could be revoked and, eventually, you will be withdrawn from the course. The University clearly have the information posted online but the students’ don’t seem to have a copy of the information to hand. They inform all students about the lack of attendance for not attending but when you see the influx of students turning up and taking days and afternoons off, would recommend that the teachers strongly implement the regulation when it comes to attendance and punctuality. Task 2: Case Study:(A) Negative or Disruptive behaviour, which is demonstrated, by an individual or a group in your class (es), or in class (es) you have observed. The only time negative or disruptive behaviour seen at University of the Arts London is during morning and afternoon registration, entering the classroom is like entering a market place, it takes’ approximately five minutes to settle the students. When the staff and trainees’ enter the room, the students are unaware at times of our arrival in the room they continue discussing with one another until the teacher announces her presence to them. Once the registration starts’ they still continue at a lower tone, but still hear the mutter of voices from students and while this takes place people are arriving late and trying to get marked in Whilst this disruptive behaviour is taking place the teacher is still taking the register and telling them to settle down; the other teaching staff just stand and say nothing to support the teacher; when the team leader address the class, her voice is not loud and firm so they just continue with their chatter over her. During registration students miss information and will interrupt the process and want her to repeat stuff. The teacher rightfully reminds them “if you are on time and not talking you might hear what’s been said”. There may be many reasons why the students exhibit this behaviour. The College has polices which are relating to absentees’ and late arrivals’. If you regularly miss sessions you will be contacted by your Course Director or Personal Tutor and offered the opportunity to discuss any difficulties that might be affecting your attendance and ways in which the University might help you attend more regularly. If your attendance continues to be poor you will receive a warning letter, your visa or student loan could be revoked and, eventually, you will be withdrawn from the course. This is one such policy’s that affects the students’ but to my belief, they don’t know where to find these polices, plus the policy’s are not in the student handbook for Wimbledon. So students’ are in breach of there student agreement and don’t know what their rights are if something was to go wrong. I have come to a conclusion, that because students’ don’t know what rights they have and what’s really at stack the lack of authority from teachers’ with students’ is eminent. The teacher appears’, to be slightly flustered and unprepared for the sessions and does not really challenge disruptive behaviour. Kyriacou, (2009). The behaviour during registration is unacceptable at the level these students are, they should not be allowed to continue this sort of attitude when important information is been delivered and other members of the team should rightfully interject, with comments about their lack of focus and attention to the teacher, when handing out information relating to matters such as; application forms, deadline dates, meeting dates and presentation dates. There are ninety students on the course and when it comes to registration the ninety students are all in one small studio which can just manage to hold just about thirty people comfortably. With such a large group it’s hard to split them all from friends and have them concentrating on what’s happening in the studio. Additionally, with ninety students and one full time staff and several part timers as team members it is hard to communicate clearly with the sound structure in place. Its my understanding from my observation that students at UAL, are some times taught above the level and asked to fully grasp what is now confusion with the work. Reference That would explain why some students are far behind with work when it comes to short briefs, as they don’t know where to start, how to approach the research and development. I have seen more confusion with international students from Asia, as English is not their first language so they struggle with the work as they don’t know the approach for the task. What I would add at this point is when it comes to ESOL students’ I have observed that they some students’ seem not to engage with other classmates plus when it’s time for registration there sometimes absent. Kyriacou c, Effective Teaching in Schools theory & Pracice, Nelson Thornes, 2009. The teachers don’t seem to chases this up nor dose the tutor groups teachers. I feel at times the teachers just let a lot of things go over their heads because they don’t have the time or resources’ the follow on these issues. Task: 2: 1. Summarise the behaviour and the possible impact on learning and the learning environment My summarisation of the approach shown by David was the teaching practice was wrong when he started this class, his approach was to write on the board then engage after, but this then became a power struggle with him and the students during the lesson. The class was excited about something but David failed to recognise what he could build on if he had just made the connection from the very start. If David had taken data spreadsheets’ and handed them out before, and explained how the data is used in class, then he would have engaged with the class much better and had a more successful lesson from the learners. But he assumed the next class were going to be the same as the last. David created in his mind the students he was teaching are low-level achievers’ why would he push them hard and maybe they were not prepared for their exams or lesson for that day. The only time he made full contact was when the matches were on the floor, he made every effort to show who the teacher was and how much power he had, but the approach was incorrect as it completely collapsed with him sending a student out of class which was wrong as there was no reason for that student to be sent out of class. The whole lesson was spoiled by David, because he had his back up and made no effort to engage with the learners even when that individual said, “No, I didn’t throw them” David still did not engage with the students’ he just wanted to show who had control in the classroom. Task: 2: 2. Discuss the possible factors, which may underlie the behaviour David should have made an effort to communicate with learner when they showed and interest for the topic, listened when the student said I No, I didn’t throw them, advised the class why they should not have thrown those matches, spoken to them at a level with respect, shown leadership by now saying “Can someone please pick up the matches, if he had made that kind of effort the outcome would have been completely different to what he experienced. The positive approach was the best option here as he lost control from the start and he took no steps to build a relationship with them. While school populations become more and more diverse, the issues of classroom management become more complex and prominent in the multicultural classrooms. As values underlie every educational practice and behavior expectations are culturally attached, conflicts are likely to occur when cultural issues are not appropriately addressed in the classroom. Classroom management can be described as an umbrella term that includes the teachers’ efforts to monitor a multitude of activities ranging from instruction and student learning to social interaction and student behaviour (Martin & Yin, 1997). It involves all factors that relate to classroom organisation with the aim of creating safe and well-established learning environments for all the students. This means that classroom management is essential not only for the accomplishment of the educational objectives but also for the promotion of the students and teachers’ development. Research shown and identified three board dimensions within the construct of classroom management: instructional management, people management and behaviour management. The management of instruction has been defined as the integration of the teaching environment and the learning experiences in line with the objectives of the instruction. Teaching strategies that respond to the actual conditions in the classroom and enhance students’ integration into the teaching environment constitute an influential factor in the quality of the teaching process. The people management dimension refers to the ideas that teachers have about their students as persons and includes teachers’ practices to help them develop. Behavior management can be understood through the concept of behavior control and structure. Behavior control refers to conformity to social rules and expectations whereas structure includes information about expectations, guidelines and limits for behavior, operative within a certain social context. Teachers can establish a positive relationship with their students by communicating with them and properly providing feedback to them. Respect between teacher and students’ with both feeling enthusiastic when learning and teaching. Having established a positive relationship with students that will encourage students to seek education and be enthusiastic when studying. Task: 2.3 Discuss ways you could improve behaviour in this situation and the possible effectiveness of these methods. The only time disruptive behaviour seen at was from the teacher because he came in and saw them but never connected with the group, the teacher student relationship is important. Respect between teacher and students’ with both feeling enthusiastic when learning and teaching. Having established a positive relationship with students that will encourage students to seek education and be enthusiastic when studying, the students show very much commitment from their side by presenting themselves are ready to study and being in the classroom. Yes they were having fun; yes they were messing around but not to the extent of causing harm. The only thing done by one student was throwing the matches across the classroom and making a mess on the floor. If the teacher had made some form of connection to the whole class before writing on the whiteboard the outcome could be different, instead you have a situation that was created by a teacher who’s intention was to regain his pride by using his teaching power to make a statement. David might have approached this matter better by using a more diplomatic way, after all they are young adults who lack guidance and where better to seek guidance than a classroom environment. His tone could have be soft and low but firm with authority so the individual responsible would have gotten out of his or her seat and cleared the mess. In addition maintaining a comfortable classroom environment is improved with positive interactions, getting students on your side can only benefit the overall tone of the classroom and enhance learning experiences by encouraging students to take risks, give their opinions, and tackle difficult concepts. Positive student-teacher relationships are those that are mutually courteous and supportive. It is an open communication, as well as emotional and academic support that exists’ between students and teachers. These relationships have been recognised as a relationship with understanding, warmth, and genuineness. They are characterised by common acceptance, understanding, closeness, trust, respect, care and support. If learners are shown the relevance in why their education is important, they will take great care with what is given to them, plus if teachers looked more closely at students when handling them, they would see that there are barriers between both sides, which is clear when addressing and communicating so teachers need to talk more when in tutor groups so things which are underneath should come out but with due care so as not harm or isolate any person in the groups. When in tutor groups’ the groups should be aloud to address openly matters that are in their best interest, plus this would be the time for teachers to address as a group or one to one, any uncovered intervention and support for anyone who has personal circumstances’ they don’t wish to share openly with group members and this would be a good time for teachers to share any information with group because this will now be a good time to show who the leader is and what he or she knows when addressing the class. Positive relationships between students and teachers have positive academic affects.  In an article entitled Relationships Matter, Deborah Stipek reports that adolescents “work harder for teachers who treat them as individuals and express interest in their personal lives outside school.”  By building positive relationships with students education can provide the motivation, initiative, and engagement, which are essential for success. When teachers engage and show positive attributes’ in encourages a relationship with their students, it affects the student’s behaviour in relation to school. Students who perceive their teachers as highly supportive are more likely to better when it comes to attendance and avoid problem behaviours. The more the teacher connects or communicates with his or her students, the more likely they are able to help students learn at a high level and accomplish quickly. Most teachers tend to use the authoritarian teaching style were they are too busy being stern and miss many opportunities to listen and earn respect from the students. Experts say that the authoritarian style of teaching is one of the least effective if a teacher wants to build a good relationship with the students. Eye contact is a great way for a teacher to show the students that they are respected and at the same time, the respect for the teachers grows as well. What David never did was show the class he was in control by making eye contacts plus using his teaching address the whole class with a confident person which would have introduced a statement of “am here now, lets start the lesson”. This was a moment of character building for him, students want to be lead and he never lead them from the start, because he doubted his ability to courage to take that chance to find out what would happen if he address the class firmly and respectfully Teachers need to manage discipline in a caring, confident manner; they also need to be managed in a caring, confidant manner. There are qualities of the society of the teaching occupation that influence teachers being able to teach in an effective manner. Teachers are frequently cautious of divulging they have a difficult way of handling class or student. This leads to anxieties and difficulty on all concerned. Teachers must be able to seek guidance and support when faced with the intolerable problems of disruptive behaviour in their classrooms. As a professional, David needs to be able to discuss such problems with colleagues and managers in an open, confident way. Fear to a problem with discipline often leads teachers to experience severe stress that causes predictable damage to their health. He should have addressed any difficulties to a colleague before entering classroom, he would have properly made some impact to how well an outcome would have changed his approach when remanded the student for not picking the matches. Task 3: Identify and discuss the future development of your skills in connection with promoting positive learning behaviour I have identified that being a student in the past two years plus working in a secondary school, have prepared me for taking my first step in acquiring new opportunities in connecting with students of different background and ages. Working in a school was very hard because I had no training or understanding of policies, structure, behaviour management, and subject areas. This was particularly difficult for me because I came from a working background in Graphic Design and I had never taught in a classroom environment with children; however the idea of communicating with children was exiting for me as I can relate and express myself at that level if needed. I developed and sharpened my skills in Graphic Design because I knew it would definitely be needed in understanding what needed to be shared with learners. In my subject area of Graphic Design, I feel experience in the work industry and studying at university level has added to my knowledge, broadened my horizon in which has enabled me to communicate without embarrassment, plus having the industry experience behind me has more of an impact to students because they will be more receptive to my discussions when addressing critics with groups or individuals. I believe my understanding of my subject area, has prepared me more in addressing design situations plus allowing me the full opportunity to deliver and discuss the issues critically and objectively without overruling the learners’ goals and objective. Using my experiences’ from work has allowed me and encouraged me to practice and maintain a certain approach, with learners’. Giving my full support when delivering my information to the learners will not only encourage them but also influence them when addressing projects. By introducing these experiences in my teaching practice, it will promote and create a positive approach to learning and allow the learners understand why professional boundaries and focus to there work is important. I also believe that their behaviour will improve if they are prompted by how things are done in the industry they are training for, if you address the matters now, they will find the change easier to adapt. My understanding now, that being a positive role model as a teacher is significant, to a person’s development because my interjection will encourage transformation of ideas by perplexing their contemplation in studies. I will approach teaching not, to voice my option to learners; but instead how to address the issues how they, would correspond to the idea, think about the issue surrounding the product. The idea behind this method; will be to allow the learners full control of their designs and ideas but challenge them if I perceive them heading in the incorrect track. As a designer am constantly being challenged and forced to explain my design and how this solution works best for them, now and in five to ten year time. Through researching the market and briefing the clients on what’s best in terms of cost and materials. I feel my influence of my domain can make an impression and show how I approach the same brief with real clients, ways to give them the professional touch with an understanding of the market for clear direction, which I truly believe they will be motivated and may start being professionals themselves. I feel it would be in best interest to further develop myself in the teaching and design section. Firstly I would like to further my studies by completing my studies in design so I would enrol on a MA course and have a specialist area to have an edge in teaching. With the MA behind me I would feel confident about talking even more about a specialist area and not feel unsettled with students, this will improve my communication, when addressing design briefs because I shall have a bigger outlook for what am communicating with other teachers and students. I would like to improve myself teaching skills by attending conferences’ about how to improve your teaching skills, go on short courses which will help me with Managing and Responding to Behaviour, Planning and Enabling, Assessment in Learning and Theories and Principles. I feel doing these short course will bring me to date with current affairs’ plus it would allow me to show how determined I am to develop my teaching practice for the better of helping to improve a learners study. Bibliography David Minton (2003), Teaching Skills in further and adult education Liz Keeley- Browne, Training to Teach in the Learning & Skills Sector, from Threshold Award to QTLS, Nelson Thornes, (2004), Teaching Today, Geoff Petty, pg 43, 64 259 Petty G (2004) Teaching Today – a practical guide (3rd edition), London: Nelson Thornes Kyriacou c, Effective Teaching in Schools theory & Pracice, Nelson Thornes, 2009 Pavlov, 1982, The Theory of Behaviourism, (15/01/2011, 18:10) http://www.personalityresearch.org/papers/naik.html Skinner, 1986, (15/01/2011, 18:55) http://www.personalityresearch.org/papers/pizzurro.html Maslow, 1943, paper A Theory of Human Motivation, (15/01/2011, 19:07) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow%27s_hierarchy_of_needs Deborah Stipek, 2006, 15/01/2011, 18:55) www.kckps.org/teach_learn/pdf/group2/t_l5_relationships.pdf