HOW TEACHERS CAN INCORPORATE LEARNERS’ BACKGROUNDS INTO LESSONS

Introduction

In the 21^st century, classrooms are becoming more diverse (Forghani-Arani, Cerna, & Bannon, 2019), with students from various cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Teachers must acknowledge and respect this diversity and use it to create an inclusive and supportive learning environment. One of the ways to achieve this is by integrating students' backgrounds into lessons. This paper will discuss how teachers can integrate students' backgrounds into their lessons effectively, as well as explore the benefits of incorporating students’ backgrounds into their lessons.

Effective ways to incorporate students' backgrounds into lessons

There are several effective ways that teachers can integrate students' backgrounds into lessons. Firstly, they can use culturally responsive teaching strategies that incorporate students' cultural and ethnic backgrounds into the curriculum (Tanase, 2020). This could involve using culturally relevant texts, stories, and examples that resonate with students' experiences and identities (Ladson-Billings, 1995).

Moreover, teachers can create opportunities for students to share their cultural experiences and perspectives in class. This could involve assigning projects or presentations that allow students to showcase their cultural heritage and share their experiences with their classmates (Gorski, 2016). For example, when teaching a topic like Tourism, students could be made to make presentations on the tourist sites in their area and share with their colleagues, how those sceneries contribute to the socioeconomic development in their area. There should not be a case where all students are forced to talk about particular tourist sites, perhaps, which they may not be conversant about. All students must be allowed to express themselves from their frame of reference. This promotes learning, which is the goal of education.

Finally, teachers can also incorporate multicultural perspectives into the classroom by using diverse instructional materials, such as books, videos, and music, that expose students to different cultures and ways of life (Banks, 2001). Research shows that when diverse learning materials are used to explain concepts in the classroom, students are more likely to understand the concept better (Ragoonaden, Sivia, & Baxan, 2015). This means that if concepts are explained from different perspectives, where different worldviews are debated in the classroom and a consensus is built to promote learning, students would have a better understanding of curriculum issues, helping them to create their own meaning.

Benefits of integrating students' backgrounds into lessons

Integrating students' backgrounds into lessons has several benefits.

• Creates a sense of belongingness: It helps to foster a sense of belonging and inclusion for students. When teachers incorporate aspects of students' cultural and ethnic backgrounds into lessons, it validates their identities and promotes a positive self-image. This, in turn, enhances students' motivation and engagement, leading to improved academic outcomes (Gibson, 2020). It could be concluded that students feel loved if they feel that their identities are represented in the teacher’s instruction. This is a good way of creating a safe environment for all students. They respect one another’s views, a good recipe for class management.  
• It creates cultural awareness among students: It helps to promote cultural awareness and appreciation among students. When teachers incorporate different cultures into lessons (cultural knowledge and practices that represent students’ backgrounds in the classroom), students learn to appreciate and respect diverse perspectives and ways of life. This is crucial in today's globalized world, where cultural competence is a vital skill for success (Henderson & Mapp, 2002).
• It bridges the achievement gap: If teachers integrate students' backgrounds into lessons it helps to bridge the achievement gap. It is an undeniable fact that schools are located in environments, which have characteristics peculiar to students’ experiences and therefore, cannot be distanced from classroom practices. Students would feel emotionally attached to the teacher’s instruction if lessons are built on what the learners already know (the experiences they have while exploring their environments). “Adolescents who feel that they are part of a school community are more likely to perform better academically and be more motivated in school” (Battistich et al., 1997; Goodenow, 1993). Therefore, by integrating students' backgrounds into lessons, teachers can create an inclusive learning environment that supports all students, regardless of their background (Gay, 2002).

In conclusion, incorporating students' backgrounds into lessons is essential for creating an inclusive and supportive learning environment. Teachers must acknowledge and respect the diversity of their students and use it to enhance their learning experiences. By incorporating culturally responsive teaching strategies, creating opportunities for students to share their cultural experiences, and using diverse instructional materials, teachers can promote cultural awareness and appreciation, bridge the achievement gap, and create a positive and inclusive classroom environment.

References

Banks, J. A. (2001). Multicultural education: Historical development, dimensions, and practice. Phi Delta Kappan, 83(3), 196-203.

Battistich, V., Solomon, D., Watson, M. & Schaps, E. (1997) Caring School Communities. Educational Psychologist, 32(3), 137-151. http://dx.doi.org/10.1207/s15326985ep3203_1

Forghani-Arani, N., Cerna, L., & Bannon, M. (2019). The lives of teachers in diverse classrooms. OECD Education Working Paper No. 198, pp 1-49. https://one.oecd.org/document/EDU/WKP(2019)6/En/pdf

Gay, G. (2002). Preparing for culturally responsive teaching. Journal of Teacher Education, 53(2), 106-116.

Gibson, A. (2020). Culturally Responsive Teaching: Strategies for Success. Education Digest, 85(7), 4-10.

Goodenow, C. (1993), “Classroom belonging among early adolescent students: relationships to motivation and achievement”, The Journal of Early Adolescence, Vol. 13/1, pp. 21-43, http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0272431693013001002.

Gorski, P. (2016). Equity literacy for all. Educational leadership, 73(1), 34-40. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1062914

Henderson, A. T., & Mapp, K. L. (2002). A new wave of evidence: The impact of school, family, and community connections on student achievement. National Center for Family & Community Connections with Schools. 18-239. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED474521.pdf

Ladson-Billings, G. (1995). But that's just good teaching! The case for culturally relevant pedagogy. Theory into Practice, 34(3), 159-165.

Ragoonaden, O. K., Sivia, A., & Baxan, V. (2015). Teaching for diversity in teacher education: Transformative frameworks. The Journal for the Scholarship Teaching and Learning, 6(3), 1-16. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1084620.pdf  

Tanase, M. (2020). Is good teaching culturally responsive? Journal of Pedagogical Research, 4(3), 187-202. http://dx.doi.org/10.33902/JPR.2020063333

 

By:

Bright Damankah

TEACHING PHILOSOPHY STATEMENT EXAMPLES

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As educators, we must help our students to the best of our abilities. This means that we must find different ways/approaches of engaging our students to meet their individual needs. Nonetheless, how we value and see our students is directly proportional to our belief systems–the kind of upbringing we have, the school systems we have been through, the meanings we make out of literature/philosophies that we read, and the educational experts/philosophers/sociologists that we come into contact with, all play key roles in our quest to help our students attain their highest fit. For example, a teacher that was raised in an environment where children have no say in determining what is good for them is likely to hijack the teaching and learning process with little or no input from students–he employs teacher-centered approaches (such as lecture method) to “pour” content into the students’ heads–this is mostly seen in traditional African homes.

Whichever belief you have, you have to put them into a personal constitution known as a teaching philosophy statement. The question is, “what is a philosophy?” In simple terms, it is a principle, guidelines, or belief system that guides one’s actions. Therefore, teaching philosophy is a set of principles or guidelines that guides all that a teacher does in a school setting. These guidelines or principles which I call personal constitution must be written down in most cases in teacher portfolios; it represents your personality as a teacher. All thanks to the 21st-century education systems–there is numerous literature from different philosophers, representing various philosophies of education: realists, idealists, pragmatists/progressivists, existentialists, etc. that can help the teacher to develop her own philosophies.

Before you start to write your teaching philosophy statement, ask yourself the following questions:

·         Why am I a teacher?

·         Who are my students?

·         What do I want them to be in the future?

·         What am I teaching them?

·         How am I going to teach them?

Answers to the aforementioned questions would direct you to write your teaching philosophy statement. For example:

Why am I a teacher?

I am a teacher with the responsibility of providing the necessary environment that would help unlock my students’ intelligence and personalities.

Who are my students?

I believe that my students are different individuals with different capabilities. They have different aspirations and passions. They are naturally gifted to think critically and creatively. They are individuals who need to be guided to take their place in this ever-changing world.

What do I want them to be in the future?

I hope to facilitate the processes around them to help them become what they want to become. I believe it is not my mandate to channel their paths for them rather; it is my mandate to guide them to create their own paths.

What am I teaching them?

I hope to guide them to learn what interests them.

How am I going to teach them?

I will create a classroom that is based on democratic principles by allowing every student to grow through a well-planned process. I will employ learner-centred pedagogies such as group/individual projects, learning/activity stations, group presentations, group discussions. I will prioritize assessing students’ effort rather than predetermined performance. I will help them to develop critical and inquiry skills by challenging them with thought-provoking questions; I will develop a personal student tracking system to help every student (even past students) grow into becoming economically stable; morally sound; socially acceptable; and most importantly, to become global citizens.

Examples of Teaching Philosophy Statements

Example 1 (Using poems)

To teach is to light a fire,

To ignite a passion within,

It's to guide, inspire and lead,

And to help learners begin.

In every student lies a spark,

A potential waiting to be kindled,

My role as a teacher is to nourish,

And to ensure that it's not dwindled.

Learning is a journey of discovery,

Where one explores and finds their way,

As a teacher, I strive to create,

A safe and nurturing space to stay.

To teach is to open doors,

To new ideas, perspectives and more,

It's to create opportunities,

And to help students explore.

My philosophy is simple yet profound,

To educate with care, respect and love,

To empower students with knowledge,

And to guide them to rise above.

Teaching is a noble profession,

An opportunity to make a difference,

To share knowledge, encourage growth,

And to foster lifelong persistence.

Education is the key to success,

It unlocks doors to endless possibilities,

My philosophy as a teacher is to help,

My students reach their full abilities.

My teaching philosophy is to inspire,

To bring learning to life,

To engage, encourage and challenge,

And to help my students thrive.

My goal is to make all learners achievers.

Example 2

My teaching philosophy centers on the belief that every student has the potential to learn and grow. As a teacher, it is my responsibility to create an inclusive and supportive environment where all students feel valued and encouraged to participate. I believe that students learn best when they are actively engaged in the learning process and when they have the opportunity to apply their knowledge to real-world situations.

I am committed to providing a student-centered approach to teaching that is grounded in research-based best practices. This approach emphasizes the importance of understanding each student's individual learning style, interests, and strengths, and tailoring instruction to meet their unique needs.

My ultimate goal as a teacher is to inspire and empower students to become lifelong learners who are motivated to pursue their passions and make meaningful contributions to society. I believe that teaching is a collaborative process that requires a strong partnership between the teacher, the student, and their families.

Example 3

As a teacher, I believe that education is not just about transferring knowledge but also about shaping the future of society. Therefore, my teaching philosophy centers around providing students with a well-rounded education that equips them with the skills, knowledge, and values to become responsible and successful members of their communities.

First and foremost, I believe that education should be student-centered, meaning that the needs, interests, and abilities of each student should be taken into account when planning and delivering instruction. This approach allows me to create a learning environment that is inclusive, supportive, and engaging. I strive to create an atmosphere where students feel comfortable sharing their ideas and opinions, and where they are encouraged to collaborate and think critically. To achieve this, I use a variety of instructional strategies that cater to different learning styles, such as active learning, group work, and project-based learning. I also believe that technology can enhance the learning experience and promote creativity and innovation.

In addition to academic knowledge, I also believe that teaching should focus on the development of character and social-emotional skills. I believe that it is important for students to develop empathy, kindness, and resilience, which will help them navigate their personal and professional lives. Therefore, I integrate character education and mindfulness practices into my teaching, which help students develop a positive self-image and build healthy relationships with others.

Furthermore, I believe that education should foster curiosity, a love for learning, and a desire for lifelong learning. Therefore, I encourage my students to take ownership of their learning by setting goals, seeking feedback, and reflecting on their progress. I also believe that it is important for students to develop a growth mindset, which helps them approach challenges as opportunities for learning and development.

Finally, I believe that education should be inclusive and equitable. As a teacher, I strive to create a learning environment that is safe, respectful, and welcoming for all students, regardless of their background, race, ethnicity, gender, or abilities. I believe that it is important to celebrate diversity and promote cultural competence, which helps students develop an appreciation for different perspectives and experiences.

In conclusion, my teaching philosophy centers around student-centered learning, character education, lifelong learning, and inclusivity. I believe that by fostering these values, I can help my students develop into responsible and successful individuals who will make positive contributions to their communities.

Please we hope to improve through your feedback. Do not hesitate to take our Readers’ Feedback form   By:

Bright Damankah

THE ROLE OF STAKEHOLDERS IN STUDENT FAILURE AND SUCCESS

In any educational system, the stakeholders - including parents, teachers, administrators, and policymakers - play a critical role in the success or failure of students. When students fail to meet academic expectations, it is often the result of a complex interplay between various factors, including inadequate resources, societal pressures, and the quality of instruction. This article explores the role of stakeholders in student failure, highlighting the need for greater collaboration and accountability across all levels of the education system.

Parents

Parents are the first and primary stakeholders in a student's education. Research has consistently shown that parental involvement and support is a critical predictor of student success (Đurišić & Bunijevac, 2017). However, when parents are absent, uninvolved, or lack the necessary resources to support their child's education, the chances of student failure increase significantly. This is especially true for low-income families, who often struggle to provide basic necessities, such as food and housing, let alone educational resources–books, uniforms, bags, footwear, etc. Parents also have an important role in advocating for their child's needs, including access to high-quality instruction, academic resources, and mental health services. In order to address student failure, it is essential for educators and policymakers to work collaboratively with parents to address the unique needs of each student.

Teachers

Teachers are the frontline stakeholders in the education system. They play a critical role in delivering high-quality instruction, supporting student learning, and promoting academic success. However, when teachers lack the necessary resources, training, and support to do their jobs effectively, it can contribute to student failure. In addition, teacher burnout (Landeche, 2009; Hakanen et al., 2006) and turnover perhaps, a result of large class sizes in developing countries like Ghana – can have a negative impact on student learning, particularly in schools with high rates of poverty and student mobility. To address student failure, it is essential for policymakers and administrators to invest in teacher training and professional development, provide adequate resources and support, and ensure that teachers are compensated fairly for their work.

Administrators

Administrators are responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of schools and ensuring that all students have access to high-quality education. They play a critical role in creating a positive school climate, promoting equity, and providing resources and support to teachers and students. However, when administrators lack the necessary resources or fail to provide adequate support to teachers and students, it can contribute to student failure. In addition, school policies and practices can inadvertently create barriers to student success, such as exclusionary discipline practices or high-stakes testing. To address student failure, it is essential for administrators to prioritize equity and inclusivity, provide resources and support to teachers and students, and create policies and practices that promote academic success for all students. Again, it is worth noting that administrators protect the core values of the school, making sure that the discipline of the school is not compromised (if it does, there is a 100% chance that students will fail abysmally). As the adage goes, “When discipline is out of the door, success flies through the window.” Administrators must have a school-wide goal for discipline and bring teachers on board to develop and implement individual class goals –it could be as simple as creating classroom rules and procedures (Alber, 2010).  

Policymakers

Policymakers are responsible for creating the laws and regulations that govern the education system. They play a critical role in ensuring that all students have access to high-quality education, regardless of their background or socioeconomic status. However, when policymakers fail to provide adequate resources, support, or funding to schools, it can contribute to student failure. In addition, policies and regulations can unintentionally create barriers to student success, such as high-stakes testing or underfunding of schools in low-income communities. To address student failure, it is essential for policymakers to prioritize equity and inclusivity, provide adequate resources and support to schools, and create policies and regulations that promote academic success for all students. Sometimes, it appears governments in developing nations are careless about the plight of their education systems. For example, in Ghana, almost all the ministers of education (both past and present) speak more words than they act. Instead of promoting equity in education, they rather focus on the political distribution of educational resources.

Conclusion

The role of stakeholders in student failure is complex and multifaceted. It requires collaboration and accountability across all levels of the education system, including parents, teachers, administrators, and policymakers. By prioritizing equity, inclusivity, and providing adequate resources and support to students and educators, we can create an educational system that promotes academic success for all students, regardless of their background or socioeconomic status.

References

Alber, R. (2017, August 18). Rules and routines in the classroom. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/blog/rules-routines-school-year-start-classroom-management

Đurišić, M. & Bunijevac, M. (2017). Parental involvement as a important factor for successful education. C.E.P.S. Journal 7 (3), Pp. 137-153. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1156936.pdf

Hakanen, J.J., Bakker, A.B., & Schaufeli, W.B. (2006). Burnout and work engagement among teachers. Journal of School Psychology, 43, pp. 495-513.

Landeche, P. (2009). The correlation between creativity and burnout in public school classroom teachers. Thesis submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, Baton Rouge, LA. http://etd.lsu.edu/docs/available/etd-07082009- 090811/unrestricted/landechethesis.pdf.

WAYS BY WHICH TEACHERS CAN REDUCE THEIR WORKLOAD IN THE CLASSROOM

photo credit: (study.com, n.d.)

Many teachers seem to be under pressure at work due to their job requirements. They look weak and tired at the end of the day because they want to fulfill their part of the agreement as teachers/facilitators. It appears that most teachers see the profession as a call to serve God and Mankind hence will go the extra mile to perform their responsibilities. Aside from all these beliefs, teachers must know that the human system may not be stretched beyond its capacity. Therefore, there is the need to put the necessary measures in place to reduce the workload in the classroom. The following are the ways by which teachers can save their energies in the classroom:

Firstly, plan your term or semester. Aside from the scheme of work and lesson note preparation,   it is expected of the teacher to have a personal plan for the term or the academic year. A personal plan will put your job description in your context. Everybody has issues to deal with. For example, teachers embark on personal development programs or deal with family raising issues. You must have a plan that will help you to allocate time to your activities. Also, establish a culture or routines in your classroom to ward off any unfamiliar responsibility. However, be flexible in the execution of your plan in order not to jeopardize your life with stress. The establishment of a classroom routine ensures that teaching and learning flow in an orderly manner. This reduces the teacher’s work because learning is a collective responsibility.

Secondly, you are not the epitome of knowledge. The teacher is not the reservoir of knowledge. Most teachers think that they are supposed to know everything in this world. Let your students know that you don’t know it all and that they have a lot to offer during lesson delivery because teaching and learning is a collaborative effort of both the students and the teacher. This will boost the confidence level of students and awaken their inquiry skills. If this happens, students will be feeding the class more information in a limited time. This will help the teacher to relinquish part of his burden to students to save energy for other works. NB. You are to guide students to discover knowledge by themselves. Give students group works, individual projects, and assignments and be the one that will summarize their ideas into substantial and credible knowledge.

Also, use peer assessment to check students’ understanding of lessons. Assessment of students may seem hectic at times. Therefore, if part of the assessment can be done through peer review, it will reduce the teacher’s workload. Develop an assessment guide for students to use to rate the works of their colleagues. Allow students to write down the comments on the work of their peers and summarize their comments into a report on students’ performance. Students will develop a good sense of judgment to make relevant contributions to ongoing discussions in the classroom which will make your work so easy and stress-free.

In addition to the above, use resource persons to assist you in lesson delivery. It is common knowledge that if you are not an expert in an area, you will struggle to deliver content in that area to the understanding of your students. Since each teacher has his/her strengths and weaknesses, don’t feel bossy to employ the services of resource persons to helps you with the area that you don’t have mastery over. For instance, a social studies teacher with a business background may struggle to teach the geography aspect of social studies. She/he must contact a colleague or anybody that has mastery over geography to help explain the concepts to students. It will help save energy and time.

Finally, record all the activities that went on in the classroom during the academic year. Compile these documents into a notebook and update them as the years go by. To make your work easier, it is imperative to reflect on what you did in the past. How effective were your plans and how do you think you can make them better. This will help you grow personally and professionally. A written record of your experiences will enable you to have a hands-on solution to future problems. This is in line with what Baldwin J., (1924-1987) said: “know from whence you came, there are absolutely no limitations to where you can go”.

By:

Bright Damankah

 

 

HOW TO TEACH THE LETTERS OF THE ALPHABET

 

Teaching young children can be a daunting task especially if a teacher finds himself/herself in a deprived community where most of the parents are poor or uneducated. This is because it needs 100% collaboration between the parents who value and understand education and the teachers who are motivated and committed to bringing abstract to reality. For these tips to work well, the stakeholders must be willing to commit resources. The government should not hide under the statement “teachers are trained to improvise” to shirk responsibilities. 

Mostly, children are trained to recite the letters of the alphabet without proper identification methodologies. This hinders children’s ability to read and write as they climb the academic ladder. I hope that the following tips work.

1.      Getting ready

A pre-school child can learn faster when learning tasks are arranged coherently and starts from known to unknown and also from easy to difficult. They learn best with concrete materials. Therefore, make sure to gather the concrete models of the letters of the alphabet. For example, the letters of the English alphabet is twenty-six hence if you have twenty pre-school children in your class, be sure to get twenty different sets of these concrete models to cater for individual differences.

2.      Allow them to perceive these materials with their sense organs.

Children have their way of perceiving objects; they see and feel the shapes of the letters. Give them ample time to have contact with these concrete letters. Play with them individually by arranging the materials to form lines or circles.

3.      Introduce the concept of alphabets.

As children come into contact with the materials, they will develop love for particular letters unknowingly. It could be the shape or the colour of that letter that he appreciates.  He will always pick one or two letters anytime these materials are given to him/her. When you see this sign, it is time to introduce them to the concept of the alphabet. Start with the letters they like. Never start in a particular order as it happens in most cases. Give them the chance to show you what they want to learn and help the to learn at their own pace. It is not appropriate to write the letters of the alphabet on the board in a particular order and take the whole class through the recital process. Most of them will be passive learners and will find it difficult to identify these letters of the alphabet.  

4.      Pause, motivate and continue.

As the child develops the skill of identification, the teacher/parent must motivate him/her. This will cause him to want to know more. They will want to let you know that they master the skill of identification for you to appreciate them for good work done. Smile, clap, praise them give them gifts sparingly.

Since you have the starting point, you can introduce other letters randomly until your mission is accomplished. There you have it!

5.      Use songs of the letters of the alphabet to solidify the knowledge gained.

After the children can identify these letters, introduce them to some of the songs of the letters of the alphabet. A child who goes through this process will sing the songs with understanding because he/she knows what he/she is pronouncing in the song. As she sings, she visualizes the concrete models.

6.      Associate the song to the concrete materials repeatedly.

Let the child pause while singing and show you the letter she sung using the concrete material. He should associate the concrete models with the letters in the song. Remember to appreciate the effort of the child to motivate him/her.

7.      Go abstract

Congratulation! Your child is ready to handle letters of the alphabet in the abstract. At this point, the work of the teacher becomes easy. Write the letters on the chalkboard and guide the children to name them in the order in which they appear. Point to the letters randomly and ask children to pronounce their names.

8.      Test your effort.

Bring two children of the same level; one should go through this process and the other should be a non-beneficiary. Write the letters of the alphabet on the board and ask them to pronounce the names of the letters randomly. Fact! The child who did not benefit from this process will take a longer time to come out with the answer because he/she will recite in the brain, pause at where your pointer is pointing and give you the answer.

This can be used by caregivers in the pre-school and parents. Let’s help our children because they are our future. There could be other methods that can be applied. Explore and see what works for your ward.

By:

Bright Damankah