PGCE PROCES WORK MODULE 1 UNIT 3 TASK 6A-POSITIVE EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS

PGCE PROCES WORK MODULE 1 UNIT 3 TASK 6A-POSITIVE EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS

image source:https://www.ggs.vic.edu.au/Images/UserUploadedImages/208/Pos%20Ed%20Model2.jpg

“more well-being is synergistic with better learning. Increases in well-being are likely to produce increases in learning…” (Seligman et al., 2009: 294).

The above statement is at the heart of the International Positive Education Network’s (IPEN) philosophy. They believe that the:

“DNA of education is a double helix with intertwined strands of equal importance:” (online) (Appendix A)

According to IPEN the components necessary to form this double helix are “fulfilment of intellectual potential” combined equally with “development of character strengths and well-being”. 

Norrish et al. summarise the aim of Positive Education as:

“bringing together the science of Positive Psychology with best-practice teaching to encourage and support schools and individuals within their communities to flourish” (2013, p.184)

The Geelong Grammar School (GGS) was aligned to this ideology and their Applied Framework for Positive Education used a three-tiered approach: “live it, teach it, and embed it” (ibid. p150) to apply positive psychology in it’s school to try to counteract student depression.

Initially I thought, while admirable, this was an unrealistic goal and bound not to succeed because of the fact that we are all individual and one person’s definition of fulfilment, well-being and what it means to flourish differs from another. I was also concerned that, if GGS were advocating this as an ideal state for all to achieve then pupils might feel that, if they did not achieve this ideal, they had failed. This could potentially increase the state of depression the school was trying to negate. 

Norrish et al. report that GGS has, after five years of implementing their method, seen a noticeable improvement in their students. This made me reflect upon whether my initial reaction was too pessimistic. 

The GGS model involved a training and support programme not just for the pupils and teaching faculty but for the entire community of the school including parents and stakeholders in it. GGS also included Positive Education lessons in their timetable in order to teach an understanding of the principles inherent in the philosophy of it. 

I believe that GGS’s realisation that, if their programme was to succeed, they needed to create role models for their pupils not just in the school staff, but also in the home environment, is paramount to the success of their programme. A grass roots commitment to any scheme is crucial for it to succeed.

Despite the evidence that the GGS model works, I remain sceptical about how it might be implemented on a universal level. White (2016) shares my scepticism and the belief that in order for Positive Education to succeed everyone must share a common understanding of the psychology behind it, policy makers must endorse it, and everyone must be committed to it. He states:

“Research centers must focus on the development of common definitions of the key terms well-being, positive psychology and positive education; recommendations for how to approach whole systems change improvement; articulating the social and financial return on investment for such an approach; and developing tools to help manage and drive sustainable change.” (online)

I support Positive Education but ask the question: how can we promote “well-being in an “un-well world” ? (Brasher and Wiseman 2007, cited in White, 2016).

Bibliography

IPEN (online) Available at: http://www.ipositive-education.net

(accessed 25th October 2016)

Merriam-Webster's Learners Dictionary, Definition, Simple Definition of double helix (online). Available at: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/double%20helix (accessed 25th October 2016)

Norrish, J. M., Williams, P., O'Connor, M., & Robinson, J. (2013) An applied framework for positive education. International Journal of Wellbeing 3(2): 147-161. Available at: http://www.internationaljournalofwellbeing.org

/index.php/ijow/article/view/250/358 (accessed 25th October 2016].

White, M. A. (2014) Why won’t it Stick? Positive Psychology and Positive Education : Springer Pyschology of Well- Being, 2016; 6: 2. Published 2016 Feb 9. (online) Available at : http://psywb.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s13612-016-0039-1#Sec10 (accessed 25th October 2016)

Appendices

Appendix A : A double Helix is described as “the shape formed by two parallel lines that twist around each other” (Webster, online)

PGCE PROCESS WORK MODULE 1 UNIT 3 TASK 5 CREATING CLASSROOM ETHOS

PGCE PROCESS WORK MODULE 1 UNIT 3 TASK 4 CREATING CLASSROOM ETHOS

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Wall Displays and Seating

There has been a lot of study into the area of the learning environment. Many agree that:

“The type of classroom environment that a teacher creates and encourages can either increase or 

decrease a student's ability to learn and feel comfortable as a member of the class. The classroom environment should do as much to foster cooperation and acceptance as the teaching methods that the teacher uses.” (Bulcholz and Sheffler, 2009, p.1)

Reggio Emilia, which is a method of education developed in Italy, goes one stage further and considers the actually physical learning environment as “another teacher” in that it can induce positive or negative behaviour which affects the learning experience. (Hannah, 2013)

If we assume the above to be true, then it follows that wall displays, and seating arrangements, which are elements that can be contained within a classroom environment, could impact upon the students’ learning in either a positive or negative way.

My own classroom environment as a child throughout my school experience was in a very sterile environment with rows of brown, wooden seats that were positioned behind ancient looking wooden desks, which still contained ink wells! The buildings altered as I moved to different Infant, Primary and Senior schools, but the same type of classroom layout was common to all three schools. There were no bright colours on the walls and little in the way of classroom displays. The exterior of the buildings themselves were austere in appearance and did nothing to project an image of a welcoming environment. Did this in anyway have a negative impact upon my scholastic achievement? No. Could a different, seating arrangement and a more attractive classroom have made the learning experience more pleasurable? Possibly, but I feel there are many factors which impact upon the quality of classroom learning and a good teacher can still create a good learning experience for the students despite the classroom layout.

I am a firm believer in the old adage “It’s not what you do it’s the way that you do it”. As a trainee dance teacher, one of the greatest lectures I ever attended was in a grotty, old, church hall with very little natural daylight and an uneven, splintered, wooden floor. It was hardly an ideal environment for dance and nowadays would be condemned under health and safety standards, but the teacher had the ability to transcend the dismal surroundings and project her personality and knowledge in a way that inspired so many people that day, myself included.

Having said that, the expectations of many of todays’ pupils in the Western world are very different from those of pupils when I was at school. Many young people have access to the internet in the home environment and can get information themselves at the touch of a button. To some degree I think this has changed the pupil perception of the role of the teacher. For this “Knowledge Age” generation( Trilling and Hood, 2001 ). The teacher is not seen as an omniscient power- the main giver of knowledge, as was more the case when I was at school.

 For this generation, who are more used to being bombarded with different images and being entertained, the physical environment may well play a more important part in the success of their learning experience. Learning styles have also altered a great deal and the chalk and talk method that I experienced has given way to many more experimental teaching approaches. Seating children uniformly behind rows of desks is no longer appropriate to the more Child-Centred approach, for example, which encourages differentiated learning, including working in small groups.  

Seating arrangements that are altered to suit the requirements of the lesson can, I believe, better facilitate the learning tasks- for example, sitting in a circular or semi-circular formation in small groups can be more conducive if the task is for multiple group discussion, than sitting in rows. Whether it has a more positive or negative learning impact will depend on the individuals engaging in the task and on how they respond to that task, to one another and to the teacher. I think it is fair to say that where someone is seated can be a contributory factor in how well that person is able to respond to the learning task- the simple fact is, you may sometimes need to move to be able to see what it is you need to be learning, if for example the sun is in your eyes and you can’t see what is written on the board you need to move.

 I feel that the argument for and against wall displays is one that is open to debate, because individuals are affected differently by the environment they are in. Research has shown that pupils with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) respond better to a calmer, less cluttered environment with ambient lighting (National Autistic Society, online), yet many recommend decorating the walls with bright colours to provide a stimulus for learning.CAPITA (online) states:

“….if you have a bright, fun display board with key learning objectives highlighted then it is both fun and informative.”  

I found an article which made the point that a Government quango had found that classroom displays could actually be a distraction to some pupils. The link to the article is below:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1534477/Tear-down-your-distracting-classroom-displays-skills-agency-tells-teachers.html

During my own research into Dance Teaching Methods for people with ASD I interviewed some people expert in the field of autism (Rodgers, B, 2016). They also advocated a calmer environment helped people who were prone to overstimulate- one of the key features of ASD. This would suggest that a minimalist approach to classroom design would be effective and benefit these students, who make up 1 in 68 of the population(CDC, 2015)

 On the other hand, some people with ASD, as autism expert, Dr Temple Grandin states: “think in pictures” (2006), so there is an argument for saying that some visual aid on the walls might be of use.

I believe the learning experience is unique to the individual and, because we are all different, we will each have a unique response to it and to the environment in which it takes place. In terms of wall displays, what might be appropriate for a Primary classroom, might be inappropriate in a Senior classroom and vice versa. There are many factors to take into consideration when thinking about how the learning experience is delivered, both in terms of the physical environment and the way in which the teacher works with the pupils within it. 

In terms of the physical environment, can a balance be struck that is congenial to alI agree? Maybe the solution lies in making the classroom a blank canvas on which, during a lesson, you can pin something visual to focus the pupils’ attention. with the following words that formed part of the conclusion to a report on classroom environment which was carried out by the Design Council:

“in a changing world no design solution will last forever, so the process of user involvement must be continually refreshed and iterated to support ongoing change. “ (Hall et 

al. online, P 3)

————————————————————————————

FIVE IMPORTANT FACTORS IN CREATING A POSITIVE CLASSROOM ETHOS

Respect- for each other, the teacher, other cultural beliefs and the school. Without respect, I feel that you can’t create a feeling of co-operation that is necessary in the classroom.

Disciplined work ethic- establishing classroom rules, with the help of the students is, I believe paramount in the creation of a well- functioning classroom. If pupils don’t know the expectations, the boundaries and potential consequences of their actions then chaos can ensue

Community- making pupils feel that they are valued members of the class and of the school helps improve self-esteem and encourages them to join in with group discussion and work as part of a team.

Communication- encouraging pupils to ask and answer questions helps them form their own opinion.

Individuality- recognition of the fact, on the part of pupils, staff, parents and governing school bodies, that each person is unique and will respond differently to the classroom environment, and the learning experience as whole, and acceptance of the fact that this is permissible is important in understanding the needs of all and trying to find solutions to assist in the challenges that this may present.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Buchholz, J.L. and Sheffler, J.L (2009) Creating a Warm and Inclusive Classroom Environment: Planning for All Children to Feel Welcome,ELECTRONIC JOURNAL FOR INCLUSIVE EDUCATION VOLUME 2 , NO.4 (online). Available at:http://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1102&context=ejie (accessed 24th October 2016)

CDC, (2014),  CDC estimates 1 in 68 children has been identified with autism spectrum disorder http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2014/p0327-autism-spectrum-disorder.html  (accessed January 2015)

Hall, E., Higgins, S., McCauhey, C.,  Wall, K. and Woolner, P. The Impact of School Environments; A literature review, Design Council. (online). Available at: http://ncl.ac.uk/cflat/about/documents/designcouncilreport.pdf (accessed October 24th 2016)

Hannah, R. (2013) The Effect of Classroom Environment on Student Learning, (online). Available at: http://scholarworks.wmich.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3380&context=honors_theses (accessed 24th October 2016)

Lightfoot, L. (2006) Tear down your distracting classroom displays, skills agency tells teachers, The Telegraph, (online), Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1534477/Tear-down-your-distracting-classroom-displays-skills-agency-tells-teachers.html (accessed 24th October 2016)

National Autistic Society (2016  ), Environment and surroundings, (online). Available at: http://www.autism.org.uk/environment (accessed 14th September 2016)

Temple Grandin, M (2015), Temple Talks…about Autism and Sensory Issues, Sensoryworld

Trilling, B. and Hood, P. (2001) Learning, Technology, and Education Reform in the Knowledge Age or We're Wired, Webbed, and Windowed, Now What? In: Paechter, C., Edwards, R., Harrison, R. and Twining, P. (eds.) Learning, Space and Identity. London: Paul Chapman Publishing Ltd.

PGCE PROCESS WORK MODULE 1 UNIT 3 TASK 1A- TEACHING OBSERVATION

PGCE PROCESS WORK MODULE 1 UNIT 3 TASK 1A- TEACHING OBSERVATION

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Reading Hargreaves and Wolfe chapter entitled “Beginning Teaching, Beginning Learning (2007) reminded me of when I conducted observations as part of my research into “Dance Teaching Methods for People with Autism Spectrum Disorders”. I considered different ways of conducting the observations. I wanted to use video observation as I felt this was the most appropriate way to document what happened in the different dance classes. I then wanted to be able to look at the videos, make comparisons and document them. Hargreaves et al state that:

“Video allows the actual words spoken (discourse) and the meanings constructed and exchanged between teachers and children to be studied even more closely when parts, even quite short sections, are transcribed” 
( ibid,p218)

However, after considering the ethical implications involved in videoing vulnerable adults I decided to use an observation chart to document the activities instead. I was surprised that no mention was made by Hargreaves and Wolfe about the ethical considerations regarding the videoing of pupils in this chapter. Nowadays, with so many strict rules and regulations governing the use of photographs and video, the ethical implication and how one seeks permission is, I feel, something that should be addressed when promoting this as a method of observation.

I was interested to discover some observational techniques that I was not aware of such as the map-style observation for tracking a pupil or a teacher’s movements within the classroom. An example of this is below:

I was also not familiar with the method of observing teacher talk called :Flanders Interaction Analysis Categories (FIAC: Flanders 1970). Hargreaves et al state that:

“FIAC is especially useful for observation of whole class teaching. It distinguishes between direct teaching (lecturing, giving information or telling) and indirect teaching (asking questions, listening to pupils’ answers)… It is a semi-continuous system, consisting of ten codes, recorded every 3 seconds which is the typical rate of classroom interaction. Wragg (1999) gives more details. A simplified version would be to recordT (Teacher), &P(Pupil) or S ( Silence/no spoken interaction) every 3 seconds in a list ( T T P T T S T . . . ) according to who is speaking.” (ibid, p216-217) 

I think that observation in the classroom is very valuable for both the pupil and the teacher. I think that you can’t state that any one method of observation is any better than another as it depends upon the context and what you are trying to find out and also the timescale over which you are conducting the observations. This will determine whether it is more beneficial in a certain setting to conduct a structured observation or an open-ended one.

There are many different ways in which observation can be of benefit within a school setting such as:

documenting a pupil’s progress or patterns of behaviour

tracking how much time a teacher spends moving around to help students

tracking a pupil’s movements around the class

documenting teaching methods

recording teacher-pupil interaction

The process of observation is, I believe, as much for the benefit of the teacher as it is for the pupil because it provides evidence of behaviour. This evidence might support a hypothesis or contradict it and lead to changes in teaching methods or in behaviour being implemented as a result. 

A key feature of observation is the reflection process that takes part, before, during and after the observation. Once again I was reminded of my work on Kolb’s Learning Cycle and Argyris and Schon’s Double Loop Learning theories which I discussed in my blog entitled “Critical Reflection on Professional Practitioner Inquiry” ( Lynn Terry, 2015, online).

I think it is important for any teacher to observe others in her profession and to be observed. This can be a nerve-wracking experience and create feelings of self-doubt. I think it is important to remember :

“the value of your own perspectives, which can lead to insights derived from a particular way of seeing” (DeMarrais et al, 2008, p 115). 

Bibliography

Lapin, S.D. and DeMarris K. B. ( 2008)  Foundations for Research: Methods of Inquiry in Education and the Social Sciences (Inquiry and Pedagogy Across Diverse Contexts Series)

Terry, L. (2015) “Critical Reflection on Professional Practitioner Inquiry” (weblog) (online). Available at: http://lynnterry001.blogspot.com.es/p/critical-reflection-on-practitioner.html (accessed October 23rd 2016)

PGCE PROCESS WORK_ MODULE 1 - UNIT 3 TASK 2- ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS WITH REGARD TO OBSERVATIONS

PGCE PROCESS WORK_ MODULE 1 - UNIT 3 TASK 2- ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS WITH REGARD TO OBSERVATIONS 

image source: http://www.acfe.com/uploadedImages/ACFE_Website/Content/images/topic-landing/ethics-and-compliance.jpg

Under which circumstances should learners as well as teachers be informed of the purpose of a classroom observation? To what extent should learners be considered as active rather than passive partners in the observational process?

Formulate five key guidelines for ethical classroom observation. Ensure that these guidelines cover

(a) the need for informed consent of all participants;

(b) the need for sensitivity in use of any information gained from observation.

Before you can discuss ethical implications of classroom observations, I believe an understanding of what the word ethics actually means is necessary. The Oxford Living Dictionary (2016) defines ethics as:

“Moral principles that govern a person's behaviour or the conducting of an activity.” 

Philosophers nowadays tend to divide ethical theories into three areas: metaethics, normative ethics and applied ethics.

Meta-ethics deals with the nature of moral judgement. It looks at the origins and meaning of ethical principles.

Normative ethics is concerned with the content of moral judgements and the criteria for what is right or wrong.

Applied ethics looks at controversial topics like war, animal rights and capital punishment (BBC online)

I feel that whether a teacher or learner is made aware of the purpose of an observation depends upon the context. If, for example, a teacher is observing a pupil’s behaviour then it would be counter-productive to inform the pupil because he would, by virtue of the fact that he was aware he was being watched, behave differently and the situation would be false. 

I feel that if the observer is a person who is not usually present in the classroom then both the learner and the teacher should be made aware they are being observed, but the degree to which they are aware of the way in which they are being observed or he content of the observation could be very different. In an Ofsted inspection, for example, a pupil might know that his school is being watched but might not know that he himself is being observed as a sample student.

Plato's theory of comparative ethics suggests that there is a transience to people's moral perspective which fluctuates according to the influences around them at the time. ( Rodgers, B , Lynnterry001 weblog). I feel this is very true and particularly relevant in a multicultural society which may have different ethical codes. Therefore, where possible, to guard against possible breaches of these different codes, people should be made aware of the purpose of an observation.

The role of the observer is also important. If a person is actively participating in the class whilst observing it, for example a classroom assistant or student teacher, this could affect their perspective on the class because they would be partially influenced by their own personal response to the class. A passive observer might reach a very different conclusion about the same class because he remains more neutral as a spectator rather then a participator. I believe that it depends on what the purpose of the observation is as to which role the observer should play.

There are certain ethical procedures that should be observed to with regard to observations.

I will list five ethical guidelines which I feel it is important to follow in when conducting classroom observations for research purposes below:

obtain written permission from the institution’s gatekeeper as well as from all participants. In the case of minors or vulnerable adults this should be obtained from their parents/guardians.

use pseudonyms to protect the identity of individuals and store information safely

make the purpose clear and ensure all participants are willing and know that they can end their involvement at any time during the research process.

adhere to all appropriate policies whether they be those dictated by Government or those specific to the institute involved in the process.

provide an opportunity for debriefing where the results of the research can be viewed/discussed in order to provide closure for those involved.

Bibliography

BBC (2016), What is Ethics? Ethics Guide, Ethics: A General Introduction, (online). Available at:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/introduction/intro_1.shtml (accessed 21st October 2016)

Oxford Living Dictionary (2016) Ethics definition, (online). Available at: https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/ethics (accessed online 23rd October 2016)

Rodgers, B. (aka Lynnterry001) Professional Ethics (weblog). Available at:

http://lynnterry001.blogspot.com.es/2015/04/5b-complying-with-professional-codes-of.html  

(accessed October 21st 2016)

PGCE PROCESS WORK MODULE 1 UNIT 3 TASK 1A- TEACHING OBSERVATION

PGCE PROCESS WORK MODULE 1 UNIT 3 TASK 1A- TEACHING OBSERVATION

image source:http://blog.uwgb.edu/catl/files/2014/04/student-teacher-observation.png

Reading Hargreaves and Wolfe chapter entitled “Beginning Teaching, Beginning Learning (2007) reminded me of when I conducted observations as part of my research into “Dance Teaching Methods for People with Autism Spectrum Disorders”. I considered different ways of conducting the observations. I wanted to use video observation as I felt this was the most appropriate way to document what happened in the different dance classes. I then wanted to be able to look at the videos, make comparisons and document them. Hargreaves et al state that:

“Video allows the actual words spoken (discourse) and the meanings constructed and exchanged between teachers and children to be studied even more closely when parts, even quite short sections, are transcribed” 
( ibid,p218)

However, after considering the ethical implications involved in videoing vulnerable adults I decided to use an observation chart to document the activities instead. I was surprised that no mention was made by Hargreaves and Wolfe about the ethical considerations regarding the videoing of pupils in this chapter. Nowadays, with so many strict rules and regulations governing the use of photographs and video, the ethical implication and how one seeks permission is, I feel, something that should be addressed when promoting this as a method of observation.

I was interested to discover some observational techniques that I was not aware of such as the map-style observation for tracking a pupil or a teacher’s movements within the classroom. An example of this is below:

I was also not familiar with the method of observing teacher talk called :Flanders Interaction Analysis Categories (FIAC: Flanders 1970). Hargreaves et al state that:

“FIAC is especially useful for observation of whole class teaching. It distinguishes between direct teaching (lecturing, giving information or telling) and indirect teaching (asking questions, listening to pupils’ answers)… It is a semi-continuous system, consisting of ten codes, recorded every 3 seconds which is the typical rate of classroom interaction. Wragg (1999) gives more details. A simplified version would be to recordT (Teacher), &P(Pupil) or S ( Silence/no spoken interaction) every 3 seconds in a list ( T T P T T S T . . . ) according to who is speaking.” (ibid, p216-217) 

I think that observation in the classroom is very valuable for both the pupil and the teacher. I think that you can’t state that any one method of observation is any better than another as it depends upon the context and what you are trying to find out and also the timescale over which you are conducting the observations. This will determine whether it is more beneficial in a certain setting to conduct a structured observation or an open-ended one.

There are many different ways in which observation can be of benefit within a school setting such as:

documenting a pupil’s progress or patterns of behaviour

tracking how much time a teacher spends moving around to help students

tracking a pupil’s movements around the class

documenting teaching methods

recording teacher-pupil interaction

The process of observation is, I believe, as much for the benefit of the teacher as it is for the pupil because it provides evidence of behaviour. This evidence might support a hypothesis or contradict it and lead to changes in teaching methods or in behaviour being implemented as a result. 

A key feature of observation is the reflection process that takes part, before, during and after the observation. Once again I was reminded of my work on Kolb’s Learning Cycle and Argyris and Schon’s Double Loop Learning theories which I discussed in my blog entitled “Critical Reflection on Professional Practitioner Inquiry” ( Lynn Terry, 2015, online).

I think it is important for any teacher to observe others in her profession and to be observed. This can be a nerve-wracking experience and create feelings of self-doubt. I think it is important to remember :

“the value of your own perspectives, which can lead to insights derived from a particular way of seeing” (DeMarrais et al, 2008, p 115). 

Bibliography

Lapin, S.D. and DeMarris K. B. ( 2008)  Foundations for Research: Methods of Inquiry in Education and the Social Sciences (Inquiry and Pedagogy Across Diverse Contexts Series)

Terry, L. (2015) “Critical Reflection on Professional Practitioner Inquiry” (weblog) (online). Available at: http://lynnterry001.blogspot.com.es/p/critical-reflection-on-practitioner.html (accessed October 23rd 2016)